Nevada dentist set 5-year-old girl’s mouth on fire during procedure, lawsuit alleges

The lawsuit alleges the girl’s parents took her to Dhillon’s practice to have several crowns put on her teeth. The girl was placed under anesthesia for the procedure, during which Dhillon used a tool called a diamond bur.

A diamond bur is a tool used to grind away hard tissue, typically a tooth’s enamel.

During the girl's procedure, the tool emitted a spark that "caused the throat pack in (the girl's) mouth to ignite and produce a fire" that lasted a couple of seconds, the complaint states, according to the Review-Journal.

Credit: Getty Images

Credit: Getty Images

The girl was rushed to University Medical Center, where she remained for four days as she was treated for burns to the inside of her mouth, as well as her lower lip. According to the lawsuit, she suffered burns to her epiglottis, throat, tongue, mouth, lips “and other surrounding areas,” the newspaper reported.

The lawsuit alleges the girl had to return to the hospital about a week after her release due to continuing pain and hearing loss. Her second hospitalization lasted nine days, the document states.

Some of her injuries "may be permanent and disabling," the lawsuit states.

Donald Testa, a California oral and maxillofacial surgeon, signed an affidavit in connection with the lawsuit in which he wrote that Dhillon failed to properly do his job.

"It is my opinion that Just for Kids breached the standard of care by failing to adequately protect the airway and committing a series of acts which set up a truly 'incendiary' situation," Testa wrote, according to the document obtained by the Review-Journal.

Credit: Google/Google Maps

Credit: Google/Google Maps

The Associated Press reported that Dhillon, when reached Friday, said he was unaware of the lawsuit that had been filed. He declined comment.

The Nevada State Board of Dental Examiners shows Dhillon has an active license and no record of disciplinary action.

A Google search shows a 4.9-star rating for the practice, earned through nearly 300 reviews. Besides Dhillon, three additional dentists practice at Just for Kids, according to its website.