The family of Luis Alarcón is demanding answers after he died during a dental visit in Quito on April 2, 2026, and is now preparing legal action over what they believe may have been negligence.

Alarcón had arrived at a clinic in the Iñaquito area for a scheduled appointment involving three procedures:

  • A root canal
  • A gum scraping
  • Placement of a dental implant

He attended the appointment at 10:00 a.m., accompanied by his parents. According to his family, he was in good health and had no prior medical issues.

Instead of seeing him return after treatment, his relatives witnessed him being removed on a stretcher.

“He was given general anesthesia for the dental procedures. Around 12:00, my father asked how Luis was doing. After going to the office, the staff became nervous and one of them said that they had already stabilized him.”

That response raised immediate concern, as the term suggested a serious complication. Witnesses described growing tension inside the clinic, with staff moving quickly through hallways and one employee leaving to obtain medication.

Shortly afterward, clinic staff asked whether Alarcón had health insurance before arranging an ambulance.

When paramedics arrived, they began resuscitation efforts. During the emergency response, his father was informed that Alarcón had suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest.

According to preliminary information, he was found in the dental chair where the procedure had been taking place.

The family has raised concerns about whether the clinic had the necessary equipment and medication to handle an emergency. They also question the use of general anesthesia for the procedures performed.

Preliminary findings suggest cardiorespiratory arrest as the cause of death, though confirmation is pending an autopsy.

“How is it possible for someone to die while going to the dentist? You trust them, you assume they are professionals. My brother leaves behind his widowed wife and a two-and-a-half-month-old baby girl. What will happen to them? He was their breadwinner.”

Following the incident, the clinic was shut down due to the presence of an unauthorized X-ray machine.

The family is calling for a full review of the clinic’s operations and the professionals involved as they move forward with a lawsuit.