MEDINA, Ohio — An Ohio man died following what was meant to be a routine dental procedure, and his widow is now sharing his story.
Matthew Miller, 48, reportedly went to the Visitage Surgical Institute in Medina in August 2023 to have three teeth extracted. She and their young son waited outside the clinic while Dr. Faisal Quereshy performed the surgery.
Brandy recalled sensing something was wrong shortly after it began. “‘Hey doc, how’s he doing?’ I asked,” she said. “Then he said, ‘Not good.’ He told me, ‘I gave him the medication and then he stopped breathing and his heart stopped. The paramedics are here.’” Brandy added, “I grabbed my son’s hand and said, ‘Pray, pray now.’”
Miller was transported to a local hospital, where he died four days later. According to documents obtained by Cleveland 19, the Medina County Medical Examiner determined his death was caused by sedation during the procedure.
The Ohio State Dental Board investigated the incident. Hearing Examiner Celia Schnupp alleged that Dr. Quereshy failed to conduct a full medical evaluation before administering anesthesia and did not adequately monitor Miller during the procedure, according to Cleveland 19 and WECT 6.
In a 2025 deposition, Dr. Quereshy told an attorney he would not have handled the case differently. “Nothing in his evaluation with me made me believe that he would be at a higher risk for anesthesia in my office,” he said, according to WDBJ 7.
Dr. Quereshy’s attorney, Brian T. Gannon, told PEOPLE that the dentist has been advised not to comment due to ongoing licensure and civil proceedings.
Brandy said she is not ready to forgive Dr. Quereshy. “As a Christian, I’d want to say, ‘I forgive you.’ But after seeing his deposition, I’m not there yet,” she said to Cleveland 19.
In January, the Ohio State Dental Board recommended suspending Dr. Quereshy’s license for six months to a year. The hearing examiner described Miller’s death as an “isolated failure” and said a full revocation of the license was not warranted, citing no evidence of systemic issues.
Brandy has filed a lawsuit against Dr. Quereshy, seeking $25,000 in compensation, according to Cuyahoga County Court records. She expressed hope that her case will prevent similar tragedies. “I don’t want anybody to feel what my kids and I felt, losing their dad at such a young age,” she said.