The California Dental Board wants to suspend or revoke the license of a prominent local dentist based on a series of complaints from patients and from some of the dentist's colleagues.
17 News has learned the state complaint accuses Dr. Robert Tupac of botching one woman's implant surgery so badly that her jaw bone became infected and rotted. The woman had several follow-up surgeries with a different dentist to help heal the tissue and install new teeth implants.
The complaint is an accusation and has not been proved.
17 News visited Dr. Tupac's office Wednesday afternoon, but he didn't speak to us. We left several messages at his office, but he didn't call us back.
In a second case outlined in the complaint, a man told the board the artificial teeth in his implant began to disintegrate.
A dental assistant told the Dental Board Dr. Tupac had her making and seating dental crowns and performing teeth bleaching, procedures that are not allowed with her limited license.
In one case, the assistant said she removed a patient's dental implant with help from Dr. Tupac by phone because he was in his Beverly Hills office.
The Dental Board says patient records that Dr. Tupac provided, contained changed dates and entries that were overwritten.
A dentist who covered for Dr. Tupac while he was on medical leave, told the Dental Board that Dr. Tupac patient's had poorly placed dental implants.
He told the Dental Board the treatment offered by Dr. Tupac on the majority of the patients, was well below the standard of care in his community, and, in his opinion, any community in California.
The Dental Board wants to suspend or revoke Dr. Tupac's license.
