HOUSTON – The dentist accused of using too much anesthetic and large doses of sedatives that left a 4-year-old patient with brain damage is no longer allowed to practice dentistry.
The decision to revoke Bethaniel Jefferson’s license was unanimous by the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners.
Jim Moriarty, the attorney for the child Navaeh Hall, has already filed a civil lawsuit on behalf of Navaeh’s parents.
“Navaeh will never recover from her injuries,” said Moriarty. “However, today’s decision is a victory for her parents and all parents who take their kids to the dentist. We applaud the Dental Board and state administrative law judges who, through their actions are protecting other children from negligent dental practitioners.”
Navaeh’s mother, Courissa Clark, told Channel 2 her daughter used to be a typical 4-year-old, but now she is completely dependent and can’t do anything on her own.
“Everything's changed. She was a normal 4-year-old so, she's totally dependent, she's like a newborn baby again,” Clark said.
Clark is glad to know Jefferson will not be allowed to do dental work on any more children, it’s the news her family had been hoping to hear.
“We were all happy they decided to take this step,” she said.
State records show at least 85 Texans have died because of dental anesthesia mistakes since 2010 and many more have been damaged for life.
Jefferson has a history of disciplinary action filed against her stretching back to 2005.
In 2012, the Texas Board of Dental Examiners reprimanded her for failing to meet the standard of care in the sedation of another juvenile patient.