Bulgarian Dental Clinic Under Scrutiny After 6-Year-Old's Fatal Anesthetic Overdose

A six‑year‑old boy, Angel, died during a dental procedure in Plovdiv after receiving a full anesthetic. Toxicology reports indicated the child was intoxicated with the drug Nivalin, which is the antidote for the anesthetic used. Angel’s parents, Georgi Raychev and his spouse, obtained investigation documents under Bulgaria’s access‑to‑information law and disclosed that the Executive Agency for Medical Supervision (EAMS) produced two conflicting reports on the clinic’s practices. The earlier report, prepared while Ivanka Dineva was director, recommended revoking the clinic’s operating licence, citing violations of health regulations. A later report, issued after Dineva’s return to the agency, concluded the violations did not justify licence withdrawal, contradicting the prior findings. The agency has referred the matter to the police for a preliminary check, and the Ministry of Health has not commented. The parents continue to demand that the law be applied to close the clinic and prevent further tragedies, while prosecutors are reportedly reviewing the case.