Local Principal Dies in Dentist Chair

By Margaret Lyons in News on Dec 18, 2007 7:41PM

Georgette Watson, the 46-year-old principal of Brentano Math and Science Academy in Logan Square, died yesterday while she was having a root canal. According to reports, she was anesthetized, but it's not clear yet if she was under general or local anesthesia. She stopped breathing 40 minutes into the procedure, and despite efforts to revive her, she died. Her autopsy is scheduled for today, but she appears to have had a heart attack.

Watson, who by all accounts was a dedicated and beloved principal, was the at Feldman & Feldman dental practice on Broadway, run by Drs. Lawrence W. Feldman and Joseph D. Feldman. They released a statement today saying,

Words alone cannot measure the grief and sadness we feel on the sudden loss of Georgette Watson. We, too, are overcome with emotion while recalling past visits where we experienced her wonderful ways and charm. We know how much her family, as well as the Brentano School family, meant to her, and her to them. We hope that they can embrace her loving ways, as we will, as they struggle to face the loss of someone who occupied such a big place in their hearts and lives.

Investigators don't know which dentist was treating Ms. Watson, but both dentists are currently practicing under probationary licenses after the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (we dare you to come up with a department name that sounds morehellacious) cited the practice for "substandard dental work and failure to maintain records."

Digging through the honestly fascinating disciplinary reports, we found a bunch of people cited for unlicensed practice of dentistry (gah!) and one Kenneth Lutsch of Machesney Park had his dental license and controlled substance license "temporarily suspended for inhaling nitrous oxide prior to treating patients." And holy crap, you can get licensed in tons of jobs. [Sun-Times, Trib, ABC, CBS]

Image via Injury Board