Virginia Blatz, 23, died on November 27, 2024, after undergoing a wisdom teeth removal procedure at the Boundary Trails Dental Centre in Morden, Manitoba. An autopsy found that her death was caused by local anesthetic systemic toxicity due to an accidental injection of pain-blocking medication into her bloodstream. The family of Virginia Blatz is still seeking answers nearly two years after her death, with her father stating "maybe we will never know the truth". The investigation into the incident, which involved Dr. Ronald Janz, a general dentist at the clinic, was initiated by the Manitoba Dental Association but its progress has been slow, leaving the family frustrated and tired of waiting for answers.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Manitoba family still searching for answers nearly 2 years after daughter died following dental procedure
asserted
daughter → search → procedure
Virgina Blatz, 23, died on Nov. 27, 2024, after going to Morden clinic to have wisdom teeth removed
asserted
teeth → die → clinic
The parents of a 23-year-old woman who died after she went to have her wisdom teeth removed at a southern Manitoba dental clinic say they've been left "shattered" and searching for answers nearly two years after their daughter's death.
asserted
they → die → death
Virginia Blatz was pronounced dead in hospital on Nov. 27, 2024, after going to the Boundary Trails Dental Centre in Morden, Man., to have her wisdom teeth removed that morning.
asserted
teeth → pronounce → Morden
An autopsy found Virginia's death was caused by local anesthetic systemic toxicity — when levels of the pain-blocking medication become too high in a person's blood — "resulting from an inadvertent intravascular injection of local anesthetic," according to the family's lawyer Troy Harwood-Jones.
uncertain
levels → find → lawyer
CBC News has not independently viewed the autopsy report.
asserted
News → view → report
Virginia's mother Victoria Blatz said her daughter was keen to get her wisdom teeth removed because she had been suffering with a sore mouth in the days leading up to the procedure.
asserted
she → say → procedure
Victoria dropped Virginia off at the dental clinic on the morning of Nov. 27, 2024, and planned to pick her up as soon as the appointment was over.
asserted
appointment → drop → her
The clinic called Victoria a short time later, saying her daughter was having a seizure.
asserted
daughter → call → seizure
Victoria said the clinic was frenzied when she returned.
asserted
she → say → ?
It was as if she "walked into a nightmare" when she saw her daughter there, she said.
asserted
she → walk → daughter
"It's obviously the worst thing I've ever seen.
asserted
I → see → ?
It's the worst experience I've ever had.
asserted
I → have → ?
It was terrible," Victoria said.
asserted
Victoria → say → ?
As the two-year anniversary of Virginia's death creeps closer, her father Dulaney Blatz says the family is still searching for answers about what happened in the dentist's chair.
asserted
what → creep → chair
"Maybe we will never know the truth," he said.
asserted
he → know → truth
The Manitoba Dental Association began investigating the incident, which happened when Virginia was under the care of Dr. Ronald Janz, shortly after it occurred.
asserted
it → begin → Janz
Janz is still listed as a general dentist on the Boundary Trails Dental Centre's website.
asserted
Janz → list → website
According to the dental association's registry, he is currently restricted in his ability to administer local anesthetic drugs.
uncertain
he → accord → drugs
Dulaney said the family didn't hear from the dental association until several months after Virginia's death.
asserted
family → say → death
And they're still unsure what's happening with the investigation after many more months have passed, he said.
asserted
he → happen → investigation
Victoria said the lack of answers has been "massively frustrating" for the family.
"We were a shattered family for quite some time after Virginia's death.
asserted
We → say → death
We just really could not function properly.
uncertain
We → function → ?
And we had so many questions and we were so unsure and we were really, really struggling," she said.
asserted
she → have → questions
"We've just come to the point where we're so tired of being patient."
asserted
we → come → point
The family filed a separate formal complaint about Janz in June.
asserted
family → file → June
The dental association's lawyers said in a Sept. 1 letter sent to the Blatzs' legal counsel that information about the initial investigation wasn't being shared with Virginia's loved ones because the MDA's registrar is the official complainant under rules set out in the Dental Association Act — not the family.
asserted
registrar → say → Act
That letter was in response to an Aug. 21 letter sent by the family's lawyers asking for updates on the initial investigation and the status of the Blatz family's new complaint.
asserted
letter → send → complaint
CBC News has viewed both letters.
asserted
News → view → letters
In a statement to CBC News on behalf of the Manitoba Dental Association, Rodrigo Sanches Cunha, the association's president, acknowledged the family's frustration, and said that while they understand why Virginia's family wants answers, they have "a legal and regulatory responsibility to conduct a thorough and fair process."
"As you can appreciate, details of the investigation cannot be shared because this matter has not reached its final adjudicative conclusion," the statement said.
"
asserted
statement → acknowledge → conclusion
We recognize that the length of this process, together with confidentiality requirements that limit what we can share, has compounded an already unbearable situation for Virginia's family.
asserted
we → recognize → family
"We will contact them directly this week to explain where the process stands, what happens next, and what information we can appropriately share without compromising the integrity of the proceeding."
asserted
we → contact → proceeding
CBC News has also reached out to the Boundary Trails Dental Centre.
asserted
News → reach → Centre
Dulaney said Virginia — the youngest of their five children — was set to start a new job as a welder just a few days after her final dental appointment.
asserted
Virginia → say → appointment
Her father said she was hard-working and kind, with dreams to settle down on a little farm like the one her parents run near Lowe Farm, about 70 kilometres south of Winnipeg.
asserted
parents → say → Winnipeg
"We lost a wonderful daughter who was kind and caring to everybody," he said, adding she loved people and animals dearly.
asserted
she → lose → people
Victoria said Virginia was a "bright light" who had a happy future ahead of her.
asserted
who → say → her
The family wants justice for their daughter.
asserted
family → want → daughter
"We've suffered a monstrous loss and the community has suffered a monstrous loss and our family will never be the same again.
asserted
family → suffer → loss
It's shattered us all completely," Victoria said.
asserted
Victoria → shatter → us
…and 1 more, not listed.
