Background: Footage from Dr. Faisal Quereshy”s deposition (via WOIO). Inset: Matthew Miller (Andras Crematory and Funeral Home Alternatives).
An Ohio surgeon is facing the possible suspension of his medical license following the tragic death of a patient during what was supposed to be a routine dental procedure. Dr. Faisal Quereshy, who operates a practice in Medina, has come under scrutiny after 48-year-old Matthew Miller passed away in August 2023, shortly after undergoing a dental surgery at his clinic.
The incident took a legal turn when Miller’s widow filed a lawsuit against Dr. Quereshy. She alleges that her husband was improperly cleared for general anesthesia by the surgeon, although court documents acquired by CBS affiliate WOIO suggest that such clearance should have come from a general physician.
Following the lawsuit, the Ohio State Dental Board initiated an investigation into Dr. Quereshy and the Visage Surgical Institute. The Board has indicated its intention to either suspend or revoke his license. A hearing examiner has already recommended a temporary suspension of his privilege to administer anesthesia.
At a hearing in October 2025, both sides presented their evidence regarding the events of August 4, 2023, the day of Miller’s procedure. As Law&Crime previously reported, the plan was to remove three of Miller’s teeth in what was considered a standard outpatient operation. During the procedure, Miller’s family waited anxiously in the clinic’s waiting area.
Tragically, shortly after Dr. Quereshy administered anesthesia, Miller experienced severe complications, including a cessation of independent breathing. He was rushed to a hospital, where he suffered a heart attack. After four days on life support, Miller’s life came to a sorrowful end.
Not long after the anesthesia was administered by Quereshy, Miller “desaturated and stopped breathing on his own.” He was taken to a hospital, where he had a heart attack. Miller died after spending four days on life support.
According to WOIO’s reporting, the Board alleged that Quereshy failed to get physician clearance when Miller was at risk to be put under anesthesia. The documents stated that while Miller “self-reported” his weight as 315 pounds, he actually weighed 355 pounds, classifying him as “super morbidly obese.”
Quereshy reportedly said during his deposition, “Nothing in his evaluation with me made me believe that he would be at a higher risk for anesthesia in my office.”
Attorney Michael Pasternak, who represents Miller’s widow, told WOIO, “He had every risk factor that you could imagine walking in, in terms of giving general anesthesia.”
The hearing examiner agreed with the Board that Quereshy did not adequately evaluate Miller before putting him under, nor did he monitor his patient properly while he was under.
Despite her agreement with the Board’s findings, the hearing examiner did not recommend a full revocation of Quereshy’s license to practice medicine. She called Miller’s death an “isolated failure,” but said that the evidence did not support widespread systemic failures on Quereshy’s part.
The hearing examiner recommended that Quereshy’s license to administer anesthesia be suspended for six months to one year, plus two years probation, which would require him to comply with random medical reviews of his high-risk patients.
The final decision on Quereshy’s punishment will ultimately come from the Board, which will meet in March. WOIO reported that the civil lawsuit against Quereshy is still ongoing.
