PHOENIX — State regulators rejected an offer from an Arizona dentist who wants to return to practice.
Flagstaff dentist Dr. Robert Janisse went before the Arizona Board of Dental Examiners Friday, asking the board to lift a license suspension that is in place pending a formal hearing.
“This was an unfortunate, isolated incident,” his attorney, Mandi Karvis, told the board.
She said Dr. Janisse would agree to his license being on probation, continuing education and practice restrictions related to anesthesia procedures.
“I want to state I take the allegations seriously,” Dr. Janisse told the board during its meeting.
The board took only minutes to decide.
“There’s not really new information that’s being presented today,” said Board President and dentist Dr. Anthony Herro.
The board rejected the proposed settlement offer and will move forward with a formal license hearing later this month.
Dr. Janisse told ABC15 after Friday’s meeting that he was disappointed the board didn’t accept his settlement offer.
“I try to do the best I can for my patients. I give the best care. I care about my patients,” he said.
He added the patient who was the subject of the board’s investigation is “very happy with the treatment I gave. That’s all I can say.”
Dr. Janisse told AB15 he hopes to return to practice.
“I want to do good for my patients,” he said. “And the only way I can do that is as a dentist.”
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As the ABC15 Investigators previously reported, the board launched an investigation after receiving a complaint from a former employee of Dr. Janisse’s.
The board’s report, made public in October, alleges the dentist had difficulty removing a patient’s implant during a November 2023 dental surgery. The board alleges he left the room while the patient was sedated to grab non-sterile pliers from a toolbox. He used the pliers to pull the implant out.
The board identified the patient only by his initials to protect his privacy. The board’s report says the patient had a weakened immune system. Using a non-sterile tool in his mouth, “created the potential transfer of harmful microorganisms that could have resulted in infection or death,” the report said.
The report also alleges there was “no clinical evidence” that removing all the patient’s lower teeth was necessary, according to the board.
“Specifically, the radiographs show the majority of the teeth extracted were restorable and contained long, healthy roots and only mild bone loss,” the report said.
After reviewing the investigative report, the board voted in late October to take a rarely used action called “summary suspension.” This prevents a licensee from practicing until the board can make a final decision on his license. A notice of the license suspension was posted at Dr. Janisse’s Flagstaff office on November 4.
A formal hearing is scheduled for December 19. That hearing will determine whether grounds exist to take disciplinary action against his license. An administrative law judge will hear testimony and take evidence and then later give the board a recommendation on how to proceed.
The board will make the final decision.
Email ABC15 Investigator Anne Ryman at anne.ryman@abc15.com, call her at 602-685-6345, or connect on X, formerly known as Twitter, and Facebook.
