Dr. Veronica Thompson told the Florida Board of Dentistry at a May 2017 meeting that what happened to Tommy Myers in her office was upsetting and tragic.
Dr. Thompson sedated 39-year-old Tommy during a visit in September 2014. He stopped breathing and later died.
A Department of Health investigation found her mistakes contributed heavily to that tragedy.
What she told the Board of Dentistry nearly three years later was enough to convince board members to vote to revoke her license.
Tommy, a special needs Down Syndrome patient, was accompanied to his appointment at Grand Dentistry in New Port Richey that day by his father.
“He had to be sedated with an IV every time that he’s gone to the dentist,” Tommy’s father, Gary Myers, explained.
Once sedated, Tommy stopped breathing and never regained consciousness.
Dr. Thompson hasn’t returned calls to 8 On Your Side to discuss what happened, but she offered an explanation to the Board of Dentistry.
“I truly thought this was not a sedation issue because I’ve given him this amount of medication several times before,” Dr. Thompson told board members.
“I thought it was a cardiac issue.”
Gary insists Dr. Thompson sedated Tommy only once before, not several times.
“What I have down is that there were at least seven mistakes that she made,” Board of Dentistry member Angela Sissine noted.
Among them, failing to consult with Tommy’s personal doctor prior to sedating him.
“Previously to ever being sedated there was a medical clearance, one time only, back when he first came in, probably four years ago, but there had been no medical changes,” Dr. Thompson told the board.
“So it was 4 years old, I can tell you that the recommendations are every 6 months,” board member Dr. T.J. Tejera pointed out.
Then there was the sedation that Dr. Thompson administered.
“Maximum dose of the IV Midazolam is one milligram to not exceed 2.5, she gave 10 milligrams,” Angela Sissine stated.
There were more miscues when Tommy went into cardiac arrest.
“I had the assistant draw the Narcan, which is the reversal agent, but I didn’t give it,” Dr. Thompson acknowledged.
“Failed to record vitals every 5 minutes,” board member Angela Sissine said.
“We did, we did do that the vitals are on there every 5 minutes,” Dr. Thompson explained.
“Well you had every 5 minutes during the procedure but when the code started was there someone that actually had a stop watch and was recording the vitals at that time, which is what’s recommended in ACLS [Advanced Cardiac Life Support.]”
“Oh, at the, after the event, I don’t think so,” Dr. Thompson admitted.
At that May 2017 meeting, the Board of Dentistry members voted to reject a proposed settlement that the Department of Health had worked out with Dr. Thompson.
The terms included a $10,000 fine, she pay the state’s investigative costs of under $2,500, that she give up her conscious sedation permit and successfully complete the laws and rules exam.
Instead, the board voted 6-2 to revoke Dr. Thompson’s license to practice.
“I told her point blank that she was neglectful and that the whole office basically didn’t do their job and that they needed to take her license from her,” Tommy’s mother Maureen Myers said.
So far the Department of Health has presented to members of the Board of Dentistry three proposed settlements with Dr. Thompson.
Three times board members rejected those settlements, instead recommending to revoke her license.
Lawyers for the state warn litigation to take Dr. Thompson’s license may be risky and expensive.
Dr. Thompson’s case is scheduled to come before the Board of Dentistry August 23, and the Department of Health is expected to present its fourth proposed settlement.
By that time, it will be nearly 5 years since Tommy Myers died.
His family is still waiting for justice.
If you know of something that you think should be investigated, call our 8 On Your Side Helpline at 1-800-338-0808. Contact Steve Andrews at sandrews@wfla.com.
