Houston, TX – Donzell Jarrod Conrad, 33, died following a routine tooth extraction in October 2024, prompting a wrongful death lawsuit against his oral surgeon and the dental service organization where he was treated.
Conrad, who had diabetes, obesity, and hypertension, reportedly informed his doctors of his medical history. Despite this, attorneys allege Dr. Pasha Sanders performed the extraction and administered anesthesia without a dedicated anesthetist present.
Conrad was given versed, propofol, ketamine, and ketorolac. According to the lawsuit, his blood oxygen levels dropped two minutes after the procedure, leading to a coma that lasted four weeks before he died on November 12, 2024.
The lawsuit, filed on November 12, 2025, by Conrad’s two children, their mother Dianna Carr, and Conrad’s mother De’Andreal Jackson, names Sanders, Castle Dental, and its parent company, Smile Brands, as defendants. Attorneys claim the tragedy could have been prevented and cite alleged medical malpractice and corporate negligence.
Robert E. Ammons, one of the family’s attorneys, said, “A healthy 33-year-old walked into a dental office for routine care and never came home. Our investigation shows decisions in that clinic — both clinical and corporate — cost him his life.”
The suit argues that dental service organizations like Castle Dental circumvent Texas law banning corporate dentistry, creating systems that prioritize volume over patient-specific care.
Attempts to reach Sanders and representatives from Castle Dental and Smile Brands for comment were unsuccessful.
