VIRGINIA BEACH -- It's been four years since the death of nine-year-old Raven Maria Blanco. The Virginia Beach girl died while undergoing a routine dental procedure while under sedation.
The foundation created in her honor is calling on the public to help convince the Virginia Board of Dentistry to mandate new training regulations for dentists.
'The dentists, of course, think what they do is enough and what they are saying is they don't need to do anymore and CPR is enough,' says Nicole Cunha, executive director of the Raven Maria Blanco Foundation.
The foundation wants dentists to adopt what's being called the six links of survival: dentist training, staff training, mock drills, maintaining a written emergency plan, stocking appropriate medications and maintaining appropriate equipment.
Cunha says the new procedures shouldn't cost dentists more than $2,700 but will enable them to be better prepared in case a medical emergency.
Cunha states there have been 12 patient deaths in the U.S., including on in Richmond, that occurred either during or immediately subsequent to dental treatment in 2010 and 2011. And just last week, a New Jersey three-year-old died under local anesthetic for a routine cavity-filling procedure.
You can send your comments on the subject to the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall. On March 9, the public can attend the board meeting in Richmond.
