For the first time, Dr. William Mather testified Monday at the Alberta Dental Association and College hearing looking into the case of Amber Athwal.
Mather is facing five charges related to unprofessional conduct involving eight patients, including Amber. He’s admitted to three of the five charges.
READ MORE: Edmonton dentist admits to several charges connected to Amber Athwal case
On Monday, Mather told the hearing that over the course of his 43-year career, he performed between 20,000 and 25,000 cases involving anaesthesia. When asked how often he had to use life-saving skills in a real life emergency, Mather said “never.”
Athwal was four years old when she was rushed to the Stollery Children’s Hospital after undergoing a dental procedure at Mather’s downtown office in September 2016. She went from being a healthy, functional child to being unable to talk, walk or recognize her parents.
During the course of his testimony Monday, Mather appeared calm. He did, however, become emotional when asked by his lawyer how the incident has impacted him. He looked at the Athwal family and said: “We tried. We did our very best,” adding that he hopes Amber gets better.
READ MORE: Edmonton family says little girl left in coma after dental visit
The panel heard Mather was born in Saskatchewan in 1949. He attended the University of Saskatchewan before taking dentistry at the University of Toronto. He worked in Hamilton for one year in 1973 before heading back to the University of Toronto for a specialized year of anaesthesiology.
Mather said he had a practice in Edmonton from September 1975 until October of this year, when he retired. He opened a pratice in Scotia Place with his brother John in 1984. Mather told the panel general anesthesia was used on 90 per cent of their patients.
“I ended up treating patients that other dentists couldn’t or didn’t want to,” Mather testified.
He said that included patients who were extremely nervous, elderly with dementia, medically compromised, or children with autism.
READ MORE: Alberta dentists no longer allowed single operator sedation
Mather told the hearing his practice had been accredited by the dental college as a Dental Surgical Facility three or four times. He said he had the required advanced life support and pediatric advanced life support accreditation.
Mather testified his initial consult protocol for patients included an exam in the dental chair, X-rays, a review of medical history, and instructions for anaesthetic written out (no food for eight hours before, wear loose clothing, bring extra change of clothing for children).
He said it was the Registered Nurses’ responsibility to reiterate the eating/drinking rule verbally.
Mather said he did not take weight and height measurements as that information was recorded if the patient offered it.
READ MORE: Family of brain-damaged Edmonton girl suing dentist for $26.5M
Mather told the panel he expected the RNs to do “significant charting” of the aesthetic procedure, to attach and read the monitors. When asked if there was formal training in his office, he said:
“This is a mom and pop dental practice… I would be the one that would be informing the new staff member, this would be the nurse, what I expected of them.”
When asked why mock drills for emergency procedures weren’t done in the office as is required, Mather said: “I guess, over a period of time, bad habits crept in.”
He said he had “chair-side chats” with staff during operating procedures. When asked about the written protocols required by the Alberta Dental Association, Mather said he believes he had some but couldn’t say he had them for all procedures.
It was brought up during the hearing that Mather’s office procedure manual called for two nurses to monitor a patient. Mather admitted that didn’t happen.
During Monday’s hearing, Mather spoke highly of his RN Tasneem Ali, saying she followed instructions well and was motivated.
“I seemed to be content with what was happening,” Mather told the panel, referring to Ali filling out anaesthetic records.
READ MORE: Registered nurse testifies at dental hearing about Amber Athwal case
Over the course of the disciplinary hearing, the panel has heard from Amber’s father, Raman Athwal, and RN Tasneem Ali.
The hearing is scheduled for two weeks.
An ADAAC hearing is not a court of law. However, if the panel finds Mather guilty of unprofessional conduct, he could face sanctions.
Closing submissions are scheduled for Tuesday.
— With files from Vinesh Pratap
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