Dentistry,  Oral Surgery

Oral Surgeon Loses License for Unsanitary Dental Practices

Holy Cow!

An oral surgeon lost his medical license for five years after 15 of his patients at his Budd Lake office were sickened and one died of a bacterial heart infection, according to authorities.

Dr. John Vecchione, who operated North Jersey Oral Maxillofacial Reconstructive Surgery LLC on Route 46 in the Budd Lake section of Mount Olive, was ordered to pay $293,000 in penalties and costs after he failed to follow infection control protocols, which caused his patients to be exposed to bacterial endocarditis between 2012 and 2014, according to a statement by the Office of the Attorney General. Of those infected, 12 patients — who ranged in age from 24 to 80 — required heart surgery and a 54-year-old later died due to complications.

Vecchione, who agreed in 2016 to have his license temporarily suspended as the allegations against him were pending, has been fighting his case in court. Shortly before he was expected to take the stand in his own defense in January, he agreed to settle the case under the terms contained in a Final Consent Order.

“Dr. Vecchione spent years denying any responsibility for the infections contracted by patients in his care

,” said Howard Pine, the acting director of the Division of Consumer Affairs.

In a complaint filed against Vecchione in August 2016, it was alleged that he engaged in professional misconduct and gross negligence following a series of inspections of his Budd Lake office. Specifically, investigators found Vecchione failed to use sterile water or sterile saline during surgical procedures; improperly handled and improperly stored single dose medication vials; failed to sterilize medical instruments; used expired vials of medication; and failed to properly dispose of needles and syringes.

This dentist should just retire and quit practice. Clearly, he has either medical/mental cognitive problems.

His manner of practice is way outside the standard of practice of dentistry.