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Dental Solicitors

If you’re looking for a dental solicitor or someone who can help you with a legal claim against a dentist, you’ve come to the right place.

At the Dental Law Partnership, we understand that poor dental treatment can be a difficult situation for any patient. That’s why we’re here to help you seek justice.

Our dental solicitors are trained to help you make a dental claim where suspected negligence or malpractice has occurred, providing helpful legal advice along the way.

We’ve been in business since 2000, helping thousands of people to get the justice they deserve. All our claims are offered on a no-win, no-fee basis, so should your claim be accepted, there’s nothing to lose!

We’ve created this page to give you all the information you need in order to ensure you make the correct decision for your situation. And if you’d like to find out a little more or you feel that you’re ready to make a claim, we’re only a phone call away!

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What Is a Dental Solicitor, and Why Might You Need One?

A dental solicitor is a specialist lawyer who works primarily with dental compensation claims.

Depending on the solicitor and the company they work for, they’ll most likely have different areas of interest within the field. Before engaging with a dental lawyer, it’s a good idea to read through the information available to you and work out whether their focus is on the area of the law that you want to claim for.

How Do Solicitors & Barristers Differ from Each Other?

You may be wondering what the difference between a barrister and a solicitor is. Though the two job titles are linked by the legal profession, they’re not the same.

A solicitor provides legal advice to their clients, helping them with paperwork and other legal matters. However, a solicitor is not able to represent somebody in court, which is something that a barrister does.

Solicitors are usually employed by a law firm and can work in a number of different sectors within the industry, including commercial law, family law or criminal law. Barristers are often self-employed and work in chambers, although some also work as employees for private firms or the government.

Despite their differences, solicitors and barristers will often work with each other, as the work a solicitor carries out may be used by a barrister during court proceedings.

If you’ve suffered from dental negligence and want to make a claim, you’ll usually need the support of a dental solicitor to move your case forward.

At the Dental Law Partnership, we’re experts in what we do. Our approachable team is made up of both dentists and solicitors, making us perfectly primed to help you with both sides of the legal case.

What Is Dental Negligence?

At the Dental Law Partnership, we specialise in working with claimants when they’ve suffered from negligence or malpractice.

Typically, dental negligence is characterised by a situation in which avoidable injury has been caused by a dental care professional. As well as physical harm, financial or psychological issues may occur – you may also be able to claim compensation in these situations, depending on the circumstances.

When you visit a dental practice for treatment, you expect to be treated fairly and competently. Your dentist has a duty of care to work safely and effectively on your teeth, without causing other complications further down the line. However, whilst most treatments occur without a hitch, sometimes mistakes do happen.

Dental negligence may occur if the dental professional hasn’t followed the rules set out by the industry, or if they fail to provide adequate care. There are many different forms that negligence can take – some instances of dental negligence include:

  • A failure to diagnose and treat an existing condition effectively and safely
  • A failure to inform the patient about the treatment – including any safety risks or side effects
  • A failure to provide competent aftercare and instructions

If you think your dentist may have failed in any of these areas, you could have a viable case for negligence, so you may be able to make a claim.

To find out a little more about negligence and malpractice, head to our dedicated ‘Types of Dental Negligence Claim’ page.

If you’ve been let down by a dental professional and think you might have suffered from negligent treatment, get in touch today and we’ll assess your situation.

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What Injuries Can You Claim For?

There are many different injuries that you can claim for as a result of poor dental treatment, including psychological harm and financial issues that have arisen as a direct result of your trip to the dentist.

If you’d like to proceed with a claim, our specialist team is on hand to help!

Poorly Carried Out Work

One of the main forms of dental injury to occur from negligent treatment is nerve damage. Nerve damage can be particularly harmful and can even cause permanent damage in some circumstances.

The main nerve that is commonly damaged as a result of treatment is the trigeminal nerve, as it sits in close proximity to your mouth and jaw. The trigeminal nerve is responsible for sensation in your face and can cause issues with swallowing and chewing, which could lead to further psychological harm over time.

If the trigeminal nerve has been damaged, you may feel numbness or intense facial pain and should seek medical advice.

Oral Cancer Misdiagnosis

Oral cancer is one of the more serious complications that can arise in your mouth.

Whilst this form of the disease only makes up 2% of cancer cases in the UK, it’s still very serious, as it can lead to further illness and death if left untreated. Dentists are trained to look out for the signs of oral cancer, so if they fail to notice it or don’t advise you that you have the symptoms of the disease, this could be classed as negligence.

You should be notified immediately if your dentist finds signs of oral cancer within your mouth – they should also inform you if they find anything out of the ordinary during a check-up, even if it isn’t cancer.

If you’ve developed oral cancer and your dentist has failed to diagnose the disease, you may be eligible to make a claim.

Tooth Nerve Damage

Poor dental treatment may result in further problems following the procedure.

Whilst the treatment may have resolved the original issue, if the work was carried out poorly, you may feel unnecessary pain as a result.

All dentists are required to observe the industry standard rules and regulations – if they’re not followed, then the treatment carried out on your teeth may leave you dissatisfied. If this is the case, our team may be able to help you. If you’d like to find out if your situation is eligible for a claim, contact us on 0808 301 8732.

These are just some of the more common injuries that can occur as a result of dental negligence. If you’ve suffered from another form of harm following poor dental treatment, check to see if it’s covered under our ‘Types of Dental Injury Claim’ page.

Gum Disease

Gum disease (otherwise known as periodontal disease) is a common illness, and caught early enough, it can be treated effectively.

Failure to diagnose gum disease is a common dental negligence claim. If you suspect your dentist has failed to diagnose gum disease, the issue can get worse over time, to the point that it’s not treatable.

When you go to the dentist, the practitioner should be able to see the signs of periodontal disease and notify you of the next steps in order to mitigate the damage. If your dentist does not follow this procedure, they have failed in their duty of care, which would be classed as negligence.

If left untreated, gum disease can have several consequences, including:

  • Loss of teeth
  • Permanent gum damage
  • Wobbly teeth
  • Gum infections
  • General discomfort and pain
  • Receding gums
  • Irreversible damage to the teeth, jaw and gums

As well as informing you that you have signs of the disease, your dentist should advise you about prevention – they’ll usually give you guidance about how to take better care of your teeth/gums, as well as recommending further appointments to prevent the issue from developing further.

If your dentist does not provide preventative advice, you may have a case for negligence.

Who Are the Dental Law Partnership?

The Dental Law Partnership was founded in August 2000 – since then, we’ve worked with thousands of people to help them get compensation.

We’re a group of solicitors that specialise in dental negligence claims, focusing solely on providing high-quality legal representation for patients who have suffered from negligence or malpractice at the hands of their dentist. 

Since 2000, we’ve steadily gained traction within the legal world. We’re now proud market leaders for dental negligence claims, meaning you’ll get the very best advice available if you come to us for your claim.

The thing that really sets us apart as dental claim specialists is that as well as our legal team, we also have a dedicated team of in-house dental legal advisors.

The Dental Law Partnership is regulated by the SRA (Solicitors Regulation Authority). We’re also accredited by the Law Society, and we were described by The Legal 500 United Kingdom as a ‘market leader in dental claims’. 

How Can a Dental Solicitor Help You?

If you think you may have suffered from dental negligence and would like to proceed with a claim, you’ll want to find a reputable law firm to help you with your case.

At Dental Law, our experienced team is perfectly primed to help you with your dental negligence claim. We’ll do everything in our power to help you secure compensation, aiming to bring you the justice you deserve when you’ve suffered as a result of negligence.

What Does the Claims Process Involve?

Before you instruct our dental solicitors to work on your case, you’ll need to know what the process involves.

We understand that every case is different – as such, your case may not follow the exact process laid out below, but it should help to give you more of an idea of what you can expect from our team of dental solicitors.

  1. When you first make contact with us, a member of our team will take down all the details necessary in order for us to assess whether we are able to assist with your claim, as well as giving practical advice for how to proceed. This will usually take the form of a telephone questionnaire.
  2. Next, your claim will be assessed to see if your enquiry is something that we can help with.
  3. If the case is accepted, your information will be passed on to one of our paralegals, and your case will be dealt with on a no win no fee basis. At this stage, all your dental records will be collated to establish the chronology of your treatment.
  4. Your case is then assessed by our team of in house dental legal advisors- these team members are all either practising or ex-dentists. They work through the chronology of your case to find out exactly what went wrong and when.
  5. The next step involves your case being allocated to a dental solicitor if it’s considered to be strong enough. The solicitor will draft a letter of claim which will then be submitted to the defendant The defendant then has four months to respond to the letter of claim. Your solicitor will then enter into negotiations with defendant ( or their representative) in order to settle your dental negligence claim
  6. Many of our cases are resolved during the negotiations stage, meaning you likely won’t need to go to court to settle the case. However, in some situations a court date may be necessary. Your dental solicitor will advise you on how to proceed if going to court is required.

We’re unable to state exactly how long your case will take, as every situation is different. However, you’ll be kept updated about your case and any developments.

The Eligibility Criteria

At Dental Law, we can only process claims for dental treatment carried out in England and Wales.

If you live abroad but the treatment you’d like to claim for happened in England and Wales, we can still consider a claim – although you may be required to return to the UK in order to be examined by a dental expert..

We’ll also need to see evidence regarding your case – this is something that will differ depending on your personal situation, as every claim is different. It’s a good idea to collate any information you have, ready for when you contact us, but we will request copies of your dental records, should your claim be taken on by DLP.

Claims can be made regardless of whether your treatment occurred within an NHS or a private dental practice. Also to note: a claim can only be made within three years of the dental negligence occuring or from the date you were made aware something isn’t right – if you’d like to start a claim, it’s important to contact us as soon as possible.

Using our ‘Types of Dental Injury’ page, you can access all the information you’ll need to assess whether your type of injury constitutes a case we could pursue. Issues resulting from personal accidents (for example, slipping on a floor in a dental practice) usually aren’t covered, as the injuries we can claim for have to be related to an actual dental procedure.

If in doubt, contact us and we’ll be able to assess whether your case is eligible for a dental claim.

What Evidence Is Needed for a Dental Claim?

When pursuing any dental negligence claim, evidence will be required in order to prove your case.

Before engaging with a dental solicitor, it’s worth going through any information you have and making a note of anything you think might be important for your case. 

If you’re unsure about what evidence you might need to prove that negligence has occurred, our experienced team of dental law solicitors will also be able to advise you accordingly. Due to the legal implications of a dental negligence case, once instructed your legal team will request your dental records.

You need to be able to prove that negligence or malpractice has taken place, and that your dentist’s actions have fallen below the duty of care required.. .

You may be able to find proof of this within your dental or medical records – for example, if nerve damage has occurred after treatment. Your dental records should be kept on file for at least two years by law – you can request your dental records from the dental practice directly.

If you’ve had to undergo remedial treatment or other medical treatment due to a dental negligence injury, this could also serve as evidence in your case. It’s important to make a note of any costs involved -you may be able to recuperate these as part of your case. You should also keep a record of all communication with your dentist, as well as the dates and times that the poor treatment occurred.

Our No-Win, No-Fee Guarantee

At Dental Law Partnership, we offer our clients a no-win, no-fee guarantee.

We work on a conditional fee agreement basis. There are no hidden fees, so if your claim isn’t successful, you won’t need to pay anything toward your legal fees.

On your end, we will require you to cooperate with the investigations – for example, you may be asked to seek another dentist for a second opinion, or visit a dental expert for an examination – and that you are honest and transparent in your actions and what you tell us.

If your claim is successful, the compensation you receive will differ depending on the injury you had suffered.

To find out more about how much you could potentially be awarded from your dental claim, visit our dedicated page where we discuss it more in depth, or head to our ‘Client Stories’ page.

Looking for an Experienced Dental Solicitor? Contact the Dental Law Partnership Today

If you think you’ve suffered from dental negligence in the past three years and you’d like to make a claim, there’s no time to waste.

Our dental solicitors are highly trained and specialise in dental negligence claims. As market leaders, we have over 20 years of experience in the field, making us well placed to take on your case once it has been approved.

We were also awarded the Lexcel mark by the Law Society in 2022, which is a quality mark for client care, compliance and practice management in the field.

Our combined team of in house dental legal advisors and legal professionals is one of the things that makes us experts at what we do, placing you in good hands throughout the entire legal journey. Once you’ve contacted us, we’ll do everything in our power to get you justice for the poor treatment you’ve received.

If you’ve read through all the information here and you think you’re ready to work with a dental solicitor on a dental negligence claim, fill in our contact form today and we’ll get in touch to start the legal proceedings.

No Win No Fee Dental Negligence Compensation Claims