The family of a 4-year-old Oregon child who suffered severe brain damage during a dental procedure has filed a $22 million lawsuit against a dentist, an anesthesiologist, and Sunnyside Dentistry for Children.
According to the civil complaint filed July 30 in Multnomah County Circuit Court, the child—identified only as M.L.—went into cardiac arrest after being administered sevoflurane, a general anesthetic, at the clinic. The child’s heart briefly stopped before resuscitation, but the lack of oxygen caused permanent brain damage.
The lawsuit claims that dentist Dr. Dustin M. Davis and anesthesiologist Lane D. Robinson failed to properly monitor the child’s vital signs or respond quickly to signs of distress. As a result, the child, who had been undergoing treatment for cavities, must now relearn how to walk, talk, and perform basic functions.
The incident occurred on July 24, 2024, when M.L. arrived for what was supposed to be a routine procedure. The lawsuit states the procedure began at 5:51 a.m., but by 6:12 a.m., the child no longer had a pulse. Emergency measures, including chest compressions and epinephrine injections, were used before the child was transported to a hospital.
Family attorney Kirc Emerson said M.L. previously visited the practice at age 3, when Davis attempted to use nitrous oxide for the procedure. When that attempt was unsuccessful, Davis recommended rescheduling under general anesthesia. Emerson added that the family never received an explanation as to why nitrous oxide was abandoned as an option.
The family said the child spent six weeks hospitalized and continues to struggle with lasting impairments. “M.L.’s childhood has been materially altered because of this,” Emerson said.
Robinson, contacted by phone, declined to comment, saying he would defer to his attorney. Davis could not be reached, and Sunnyside Dentistry for Children did not return calls seeking comment.
The Oregon Board of Dentistry lists no prior malpractice violations against Davis, who has practiced at Sunnyside Dentistry since 2021. He previously worked in pediatric dentistry in Seattle and completed his training at Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Illinois at Chicago.
The lawsuit describes M.L. as having “regressed back to being an infant,” requiring assistance with speaking, writing, dressing, and using the bathroom.
