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Arizona family fights for dental safety reforms after son’s death

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Arizona family fights for dental safety reforms after son’s death


SCOTTSDALE, AZ — One of the last photos of Derek Swanson was taken in the dental chair with a big smile on his face.

He captioned the photo: “Yesterday, new car. Today, implant! Fun never stops.”

Bill and Brenda Swanson

One of the last photos of Derek Swanson in the dental chair before he was scheduled to get a dental implant.

“He was so excited,” said his mother, Brenda Swanson. “He had fixed a lot of teeth, and they were looking really nice.”

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Brenda said she went with him to an oral surgeon for a dental implant the morning of March 3, 2023. Derek was one of the first appointments of the day, she said, so there weren’t a lot of people in the waiting room.

“He turned around, and he gave me that wink and said, ‘love you.’”

She waited.

“There was a hospital right nearby with an emergency room. So I heard a siren, and I just assumed it was from the hospital, not realizing that the ambulance had come.”

She was unprepared for what happened next.

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She said she was called back into the office and told there were complications. Her son had been rushed to the emergency room.

She called her husband.

“I said, ‘Bill, you better come. Something doesn’t feel right.’”

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Gerard Watson/ABC15

Bill and Brenda Swanson are sharing their story in a push to get more safeguards at the dentist.

She walked into the emergency room and saw the nurses.

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“I could tell by the look, and some of the faces, this was serious,” she said.

Derek was on life support.

“This happened on the third of March 2023,” Brenda said. “We took Derek off life support on the 10th of March.”

The Maricopa County Medical Examiner ruled Derek’s death was due to complications of anesthesia administration during a dental procedure.

Brenda and Bill Swanson have never spoken publicly about what happened — until now.

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In a recent interview with ABC15, their eyes filled with tears as they talked about their son.

He was a “gym junkie,” who liked to hike and golf. A former football player, he had plans to go back and help coach at the Mesa high school where he graduated.

Derek and Dad at Vikings game.jpg

Bill and Brenda Swanson

Derek Swanson and his father, Bill.

“He was known as ‘The Mover,’ because if anybody needed help moving, Derek was the one that they called,” Brenda said.

The Swansons said they are speaking out to fight for accountability and new safeguards at the dentist.

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They have filed a wrongful death lawsuit seeking monetary damages against Dr. Derek Lamb and Scottsdale Facial and Oral Surgery.

“We think Dr. Lamb made a variety of mistakes, not just in proceeding with the procedure, but in failing to adapt to the changing circumstances,” said Shannon Clark, an attorney who represents the family along with attorney Eleanor Shaffer.

“Dr. Lamb, in this case, was not only doing the procedure, but he was also responsible for the anesthesiology aspect of it,” Clark said.

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Gerard Watson/ABC15

Shannon Clark, left, and Eleanor Shaffer are attorneys representing Bill and Brenda Swanson.

The lawsuit alleges a series of failures during anesthesia that left Derek without enough oxygen, resulting in a brain injury that caused his death.

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“You ought to be able to go to the dentist’s office and leave a dentist’s office. You should not go in there and not walk out,” Clark said.

Dr. Lamb and his attorneys did not respond to emails and phone calls from ABC15, requesting comment. In a response to the lawsuit filed in court, they deny any negligence. They say Dr. Lamb met the standard of care and did not cause or contribute to Derek’s injuries or death.

The Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners, the state agency that licenses dentists, investigated and said there were several deviations from the standard of care.

The dental board said Dr. Lamb failed to consider risk factors, including the fact that Derek smoked cannabis the morning of the procedure. The board said cannabis increases the risk of a throat spasm that can close off an airway in patients undergoing anesthesia.

Dr. Lamb spoke to the dental board as they reviewed his case in 2023.

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He said Derek was “talking normally” the morning of the procedure.

“No evidence that he was impaired in any way. I did consider the fact that he had smoked marijuana that morning,” he said.

Dr. Lamb also told the board: “I don’t believe that things that I did were below the standard of care.”

As a result of the investigation, the board determined Dr. Lamb’s conduct was unprofessional. He had to complete 12 hours of continuing education, and his anesthesia permit was reinstated after a three-month suspension.

As for Derek’s family, they’re pushing for new laws.

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In Arizona, an oral surgeon can perform dental surgery and also give the patient anesthesia as long as they have the required training and permit from the state dental board. Some oral surgeons will hire a second person, who is licensed to do anesthesia, even though it’s not required by law. This is what’s called a two-provider system.

The Swansons want the law changed to require two highly trained people in the room: One focused on surgery, the other licensed in anesthesia.

No state currently requires this. Some in the dental industry have successfully fought efforts to change the law in states, such as California and North Carolina, over concerns that it could increase costs.

Derek Swanson childhood photos.jpg

Bill and Brenda Swanson

Derek Swanson as a child with his parents, Bill and Brenda.

The Swansons believe adding more safeguards will save lives. They hope an Arizona lawmaker will see their story and support their cause.

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No parent, no wife, no husband, son, daughter should have to go through this,” Brenda said. “We’d like to see some changes. So that’s what we hope.”

Email ABC15 Investigator Anne Rymanat anne.ryman@abc15.com, call her at 602-685-6345, or connect on X, formerly known as  Twitter,and   Facebook.





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2026 NFL draft: 3 potential trades back from No. 3 for Arizona Cardinals

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2026 NFL draft: 3 potential trades back from No. 3 for Arizona Cardinals



Since the Arizona Cardinals want to trade back from the No. 3 picks, here are three deals that could work.

The Arizona Cardinals have the third pick in the 2026 NFL draft, which begins this week on Thursday. All the reports coming out are saying that they want to trade out of the pick to acquire more draft picks.

But what does a trade look like and who could be involved?

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The Kansas City Chiefs are involved in talks at some level. ESPN’s Adam Schefter expects trade talks to heat up this week.

NFL teams use a variation of a trade value chart when it comes to draft picks. Now, what a team actually is willing to give up can be influenced by potential competition with other teams, but we can’t count on that.

Here is the general trade value chart teams use.

Here are some potential deals that could be done.

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs have two first-round picks, which would be appealing to the Cardinals, who reportedly want to make a move for quarterback Ty Simpson, and the 29th pick might be just the spot to get him.

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The third overall pick is worth 514 points.

The Chiefs’ picks at No. 9 (387 points) and No. 29 (202 points) together are worth 589.

To make up the difference, the Cardinals could give up No. 65 (78 points) for a total of 592 points.

One deal could be:

  • Cardinals receive get No. 9 and No. 29 (589 points)
  • Chiefs receive No. 3 and No. 65 (592 points)

Another could be:

  • Cardinals receive No. 9, No. 29, No. 74 and 2027 third-round pick (653 points + value of future third-round pick, which is 36-78 points)
  • Chiefs receive No. 3 and No. 34 (689 points)

The Cardinals keep their third-round pick and the Chiefs essentially move back five spots from No. 29.

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys have the 12th and 20th picks but no pick in the second round.

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Pick No. 12 is 347 points and No. 20 is 269 for a total of 616.

This deal is close:

  • Cardinals receive No. 12, No. 20 (616 points)
  • Cowboys receive No. 3, No. 65 (592 points)

New Orleans Saints

The Saints are perhaps a dark horse to move up, although they do not have two first-round picks. They have the No. 8 pick, worth 406 points. Their second-round pick, at No. 42, is worth 142 points.

This deal could work:

  • Cardinals receive No. 8, No. 42 (548 points)
  • Saints receive No. 3, No. 104 (547 points)

Then the Cardinals could use their two second-round picks to then move back into Round 1 to get Ty Simpson.

They could trade No. 34, No. 42 and No. 65 (395 points) for No. 28, No. 38 and No. 106 (398 total points).

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

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Dust returns to Phoenix area after hazy weekend – KTAR.com

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Dust returns to Phoenix area after hazy weekend – KTAR.com


PHOENIX — Breezy winds kicked up a blanket of dust across the Valley on Sunday, and forecasters say more is on the way this week.

Visibility in Phoenix became so bad on Sunday that Sky Harbor airport stopped flights for over an hour

The wind and dust peaked Sunday afternoon and gradually improved into the evening, said Michael Graves, an air quality meteorologist with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

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“You might’ve seen the mountains a bit obscured in the distance,” Graves told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Monday. “A lot of haze in the air.”

By Monday morning, skies had largely cleared and dust levels near the ground had dropped significantly.

Expect more gusty, dusty days this week

The relief may be short-lived.

ADEQ is watching for increased afternoon breezes Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, this time from the west and southwest. Though the winds are expected to be weaker than Sunday’s, Graves said forecasters cannot rule out dust.

“I wouldn’t say windstorm,” Graves said. “I would just say we’ve got some waves coming in. They’re going to increase our afternoon breeziness.”

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It’s enough to kick up dry, exposed dirt, which could create pockets of dust. There is a slight chance of broader regional dust transport, Graves said.

It will impact people with asthma, COPD or respiratory conditions the most. Graves advised those with issues to monitor conditions and stay indoors during the dustiest hours.

“If you’re going to be outside, be outside during the times when it’s less dusty or hazy,” Graves said.

Graves noted that spring weather systems typically pass to the north of the Phoenix area, delivering wind and slight temperature drops but little to no rain, a pattern likely to continue.

KTAR News reporter Kellen Shover contributed to this report.

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Trying to beat the heat: Addressing rising temperatures in Southern Arizona

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Trying to beat the heat: Addressing rising temperatures in Southern Arizona


The University of Arizona and Tucson are known for yearlong warm weather, but when is it too much? With temperature reaching record highs in March, the city of Tucson has already reported increased temperatures for this year. 

In the wake of the third annual Southern Arizona Heat Summit, integrating voices throughout the City of Tucson, community stakeholders and experts from UA gather to speak about possible solutions and policies to address rising temperatures and extreme heat. 

The summit strives to ensure that the lived experiences of Southern Arizona residents are voiced. The first summit commenced in 2024, in response to the declaration of an extreme heat emergency in Arizona by Gov. Katie Hobbs, as part of a larger plan called Arizona’s Extreme Heat Response Plan. 

With representation from organizations such as the American Red Cross, the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, Arizona Jobs with Justice, Tucson Indian Center and many more, the summit emphasized the importance of the perspective and concerns of stakeholder groups throughout the community. 

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The summit included a variety of UA experts, including faculty representing the School of Geography, Development and Environment; the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy; the Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health and the College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture.

One particular project, led by Ladd Keith at the School of Landscape Architecture and Planning, is a part of the Southwest Urban Corridor Integrated Field Laboratory, which is funded by the United States’ Department of Energy to explore extreme heat throughout Arizona. SW-IFL works in collaboration with other national laboratories including those at ASU and NAU. 

The team works to analyze extreme heat in the southwest and rural areas, and how communities deal with heat by conducting interviews. The team has also prescribed policy to Pima County and the City of Tucson regarding more effective strategies to combat rising temperatures, such as green stormwater infrastructure. 

Anne-Lise Boyer, a post-doctoral researcher with the Climate Assessment for the Southwest, shared that the team particularly analyzed extreme heat in three parts: heat mitigation, heat management and heat governance.

Mitigation deals with prevention through strategies such as green infrastructure and planting trees, while management includes cooling sensors and heat warning systems. Governance allows these measures to be enacted through policy.

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In Tucson, some of the most meaningful work the team has engaged in has been drafting the City of Tucson’s Heat Action Roadmap in 2024, which outlines goals to mitigate and mandate extreme heat and its impacts while prioritizing community voices.  

The goals of the roadmap include informing and educating citizens of Tucson on the adverse effects of extreme heat and cooling people’s homes and neighborhoods by incorporating heat risk in regional planning. These steps are essential to practicing heat management, especially as the city of Tucson grows. 

“I think the most interesting thing about being based in Tucson is that because the heat has been here for a long time, it’s like a laboratory in itself,” Boyer said. “We have all this research and all this collaboration happening with local actors because it’s a pressing issue in Arizona.”

As the annual heat summit recurs, new ideas and perspectives continue to be shared throughout the community. Boyer shared that this year, the Southern Arizona Heat Summit focused on the youth perspective, highlighting middle school and high school students and how heat impacts their everyday lives. Many students spoke about how heat shaped their lives at home, school and sports.

“That’s one of the goals, to have community members participate and give their input in how they wish the city will deal with the heat,” Boyer said. 

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Boyer and Kirsten Lake, a program coordinator for the SW-IFL team, also shared how the impacts of extreme heat impact some neighborhoods and communities in Tucson more than others, and that their research often evaluates these factors to determine where heat management efforts would make the greatest impact.

“Its important when you’re putting into effect some of these measures, that you make sure you put it where it’s going to make the biggest difference,” Lake said.

The work of the SW-IFL team is not just locally known. The Brookhaven National Lab based in New York deployed a specialized truck to Tucson to collect information on the atmosphere and rising temperatures. The SW-IFL team hosted the Brookhaven team.

Additionally, Keith’s work has led to a guidebook called “Planning for Urban Heat Resilience” which focuses on the adverse effects extreme heat poses to marginalized communities across the country. 

“It is so different from place to place and neighborhood to neighborhood because you have to take the whole context into account,” Boyer said. “They recommend first to document the heat impacts in your communities.”

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