Stress Awareness Month: Stress Related to Dental Negligence

April marks the start of “National Stress Awareness Month”, Dental Law have decided to dedicate this month to raising awareness and encouraging a positive change for mental health.

What is Stress Awareness Month?

Stress Awareness Month is aimed at increasing the public’s awareness about the causes and some coping mechanisms which may help with stress. It has been held every April since 1992 and provides an opportunity for people to discuss their struggles openly and honestly, helping peel back the stigma surrounding mental health.

Stress is one of the biggest public health challenges facing not only this country but all over the world. It’s true, some elements of our well-being can be maintained by us living a healthier lifestyle. However, there are times when something like an illness, injury or negligence can prevent that.

Stress Related to Dental Negligence

A common worry we see time and time again surrounding our dental negligence claim patients, is the mental toll the injury caused by dental negligence can take. It is at the most vulnerable of times that we put faith into dental professionals who are experts in their fields of work, we trust their diagnosis, their judgement of the symptoms, and we trust the treatment they provide is always going to be industry standard. We do not consider that this trust may be misplaced, or that things may go wrong.

Stress related to dental negligence can grow and manifest into many forms, from our clients we know how common not only the physical suffering of dental negligence can be, but the wave of mental health struggles that follow such as anxiety, depression, reduced self-esteem and confidence. And how this can affect your daily life. The stress can originally stem from the pain, discomfort or visible issues caused by the negligence, but can then be amplified by the worry and stress of the claims process and a fear of further dental procedures.

Dental Law Alleviates the Added Stress of Claiming

Dental Law are your trusted dental claim partner and will be on hand to help you through the entire claims process from initial enquiry to settlement. Our previous client reviews shine light not only on this but also on the professionalism of the service Dental Law offer.

“I can’t give any fault to the dental law partnership. They are very professional, and the staff are very friendly and helpful. I would like to give a shout out to Isabelle Hawley. Isabelle is the person that has handled my case. She is very professional, never hesitated in answering questions I asked. She is very thorough with her job and takes pride in what she does. I’d recommend this partnership to anyone.”

“I wish I could give 10 stars…. The Dental Law partnership has done an amazing job with my case. The one handling my case Olivia Mounsey has done incredible work and updated me with everything that has happened in my case. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain from these guys!”

Read more of our client reviews here.

Signs of Dental Negligence

We know our bodies better than anyone else, and although sometimes pain can be subjective, if something is not right and you are experiencing pain, its right to ask questions, to challenge and try and understand what’s happening to your body. Experiencing dental negligence can be extremely distressing, but understanding and learning the signs of negligent dental care might help you work out what the next steps are for you.

1. Pain and Injury During Treatment

One of the most obvious signs of dental negligence is experiencing pain and injury during or after a dental procedure. Whilst it is very normal to feel some discomfort and pain after dental work, if the pain doesn’t subside or if it gets worse, this could be an indicator that negligence has occurred.

2. A lack of informed Consent

Your dentist has a duty of care to make you fully aware of any risks, side effects and alternative procedures before you agree any treatment. Only by being fully informed and giving proper consent can you make an empowered decision about your dental health, protecting yourself further from potential dental negligence.

3. The consequences of Misdiagnosis

Failing to diagnose an oral health issue or delaying a diagnosis can have severe consequences – particularly in terms of things like gum disease, throat cancer and oral cancer.

4. Improper Treatment and Procedural Errors

Carrying out unnecessary treatments can cause avoidable pain, inconvenience and financial strain, as well as a failure to treat the original oral health issue the patient sought help for, in most situations, this will usually be due to a lack of care or negligence on the part of your dentist.

5. Post-Treatment Complications and Neglect

Post-treatment complications can sometimes arise after a dental procedure (even if it’s been carried out correctly), but the way in which your dentist handles these complications is crucial to your oral health.

Dive even deeper into the signs of dental negligence in our blog Five Common Examples of Dental Negligence You Shouldn’t Ignore.

Know The Next Steps

Even the most routine of dental procedures can go wrong, if you suspect your dentist has acted negligently, our expert legal team will be your partner throughout the whole claims process, ensuring you build a strong case against your dentist.

If you’d like to get started with a dental negligence compensation claim, please speak to a member of our expert team on 08001522036 or fill out our online contact form.