Toddler’s tragic death after oral surgery
Police in Greensboro, NC, were dispatched after the unexpected death of two-year-old Er’Mias Mitchell on July 18th, 2025. According to Er’Mias’s grandmother, the toddler’s lung collapsed after an oral surgery appointment involving anesthesia at the Valleygate Dental Surgery Center. She told WXII News that she and the rest of the Mitchell family are “incredibly upset” by how the surgery center handled the tragedy.1
The North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners is currently investigating Er’Mias’s case and the circumstances that lead to his death. In the meantime, CEO and legal counsel Bobby White expressed his condolences, noting that “…it appears that Valleygate Dental Surgery Center is an independently accredited surgery center utilizing the services of both medical and dental professionals and is not licensed, certified, or accredited by the NC Dental Board. Early indications are that the Dental Board’s investigation will focus on whether this death occurred as a result of sedation administered by a medical provider (over which the Dental Board has no jurisdiction) or was the result of improper dental treatment which, of course, is within our jurisdiction.”1
Surprising link between poor oral health and lifestyle diseases
A new study from the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation uncovered a link between declining oral health and the risk of developing lifestyle-related diseases. Led by Mitsuyoshi Yoshida, professor and chairman of the Department of Dentistry and Oral-Maxillofacial Surgery at Fujita Health University, researchers from Japan investigated the connection between oral function and blood test results in older adults.2
Yoshida’s team found that adults with abnormal blood test results demonstrated low oral function, concluding that poor oral health may increase the risk of developing lifestyle-related diseases.2…