A dentist in Florida who was not charged in April 2026 with the death of a 44-year-old patient now faces possible discipline for the death of a woman who died from complications following a procedure, according to a story published on June 5 in First Coast News.
Dr. Francesco Sebastiani of the Florida Dental Implant Studio in Ponte Vedra, FL, faces possible suspension or permanent revocation of his license from the Florida Board of Dentistry.
The potential discipline stems from a complaint the state health department filed after Colleen Krause Straw died days after experiencing complications from her dental implant procedure, which Sebastiani performed. The new complaint accuses Sebastiani of failing to properly monitor and record Straw's vital signs and respiration, according to the story.
A hearing on the matter is expected to be held this week.
In April, a medical examiner ruled that the death of Roy Estes III, 44, during a dental implant procedure was accidental; therefore, no criminal charges were filed against Sebastiani.
The autopsy results revealed that Estes' death was due to the "combined toxicity of mitragynine, fluoxetine, diphenhydramine, and bupivacaine." Mitragynine is the primary alkaloid found in the herbal supplement kratom, fluoxetine is an antidepressant, diphenhydramine is an antihistamine, and bupivacaine is a long-acting local anesthetic.
In October 2025, Estes went to Sebastiani to have 23 teeth extracted and 10 implants placed. Midway through the hours-long procedure, Estes stopped breathing. An ambulance was called, but Estes died at the practice.
Other than the bupivacaine, all medications found in Estes were taken before his dental appointment. According to the medical examiner's report, the medications were at concentrations within toxic ranges.
Furthermore, the report noted there was no documentation about the dose, route, and timing of the anesthetic. Therefore, Estes' death could not be attributed to one single agent.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
