Connecticut dentist charged in death of patient during procedure

A Connecticut dentist has been charged in the death of a patient who became unresponsive while having 20 teeth pulled and several implants installed.

Rashmi Patel was charged with a misdemeanor count of criminally negligent homicide and a felony count of tampering with evidence, police said. He turned himself in at the Enfield Police Department Tuesday.

The charges come a year after Patel’s patient Judith Gan died after oxygen levels dropped dangerously low as she was consciously sedated during a tooth extraction and implant procedures at the dentist’s Enfield office. State dental regulators concluded Patel failed to adequately respond to Gan’s needs.

Patel denied any wrongdoing in his treatment of Gan.

Dr. Patel disputes the charges and urges that the charges be dropped," his attorney Paul Knag said in a statement Wednesday.