A Clark County dentist, Ellis B. Jardine, has been sidelined by the state's Dental Quality Assurance Commission, accused of multiple professional missteps including practicing beyond his expertise and botching the standard care protocol. On suspension pending the outcome of his case, Jardine's licenses for dentistry (DE60339865) and his moderate sedation with parenteral agents permit (CS60495559) are currently inoperative, announced in a press release by the Washington Department of Health.
According to the official charges, Jardine apparently went rogue by not just assessing patient risk poorly, but administered a general anesthetic – a no-no for someone with only a moderate sedation permit. And it didn't stop there. Medications were given in such a timeline that patients likely fell into more than a 'moderate' level of sedation. The charges also claim Jardine dropped the ball on monitoring vital signs and he hasn't documented everything he should have during procedures.
The dentist finds himself in a tight spot as he cannot practice in Washington until these charges are resolved. Having a mere 20 days to file a response to the allegations and request a hearing, the clock is ticking down for Jardine. The health and safety of the public, which the Dental Quality Assurance Commission is sworn to protect, hinges upon the outcomes of such cases and the enforcement of best practices amongst health care professionals.
For those enthusiasts interested in the gritty details, the case documents are up for public viewing on the Department of Health website, with hard copies available for procurement by making a call to 360-236-4700. And should anyone stumble upon a health care provider's unprofessional conduct, that same number will connect you with authorities eager to register your complaint.
