Dentist Wants License Back

POSTED: 2:12 pm CDT October 13, 2006
UPDATED: 4:53 pm CDT October 13, 2006



CHICAGO -- A dental assistant who helped treat a 5-year-old Chicago girl who died after being sedated said she was hired despite having no training.

Zoila Ocampo testified Friday before a state board that will help decide if Dr. Hicham Riba can continue to practice dentistry.

NBC5's Phil Rogers reported that during the hearing, Riba's emotions ran the gamut from composed to emotional. Riba disputed the amount of sedatives he gave Diamond Brownridge, despite four separate documents that he filled out himself and medical experts' testimony at the hearing that the amount of sedatives given Brownridge was about four times what should have been given to a child her age.


Ocampo said she received some on-the-job training in the seven months she'd worked for Riba. But she said she didn't know how to monitor a pulse or blood pressure when she was left alone with Brownridge. Rogers reported Ocampo testified that working for Riba was her first-ever dental job, and she did not have formal training, saying she did not know what a blood-pressure cuff was, and when presented with a stethoscope, did not recognize that instrument. Ocampo also testified that she did not know the name of the drug she gave Brownridge when she arrived.

The girl died Sept. 27 after spending four days on life support.

The state's chief of medical prosecutions contends Diamond's death could have been prevented if she was properly monitored.

Riba's attorney said Riba has a clean record with no previous complaints in nine years as a dentist.

Meanwhile, Riba wants his dental license restored and wants permission to sedate patients. The hearing was expected to continue into next week.


dang!!!

Either take his licence away or put him on probation. Not to allow sedation.

Riba is negligent and should be held accountable. And that Ocampo chick was pretty stupid doing a job - first ever dental job with no training, that I find disgusting. She is just as much to blame as Riba.

The only thing is that little girl is now gone

surely there are laws??
rules???
fucking regulations??

i do not understand the players in this story

and i sure as hell don't understand how he thinks he will ever be allowed to practise dentistry again.

meanwhile his negligence cost a little girl her life

Who would go to him for dental treatment after this anyway? If it was a human error, a genuine mistake, then off you go, find another vocation and don't fight for this. Accept you messed up, it cost a life, and hopefully be humbled by it.

They both deserve Jail.

That's terrible that the girl had no training. If she had no training, then WTF was she doing working there? :confused: They both should be thrown in jail.