The Dental Law Partnership has successfully secured compensation of £7,500 for a 10-year-old girl, following a failure to diagnose and treat tooth decay.
From 2013 to 2015, Miss C attended regular check-ups with her dentist, Dr R accompanied by her parents. Throughout this period, Dr R had no complaints about the state of Miss C’s primary teeth and continued to approve of her oral heath after every visit. Miss C’s parents understood the importance of regular dental check-ups for their child, but they did not expect to find out the damage that had been left unnoticed by Dr R.
Miss C then began to experience a distressing spell of toothache and had to visit an emergency dentist. After reviewing her teeth, the extent of Dr R’s neglect was revealed and despite her regular visits to the dentist it was discovered that he had been suffering from a severe case of tooth decay. It was apparent that Dr R had repeatedly failed to acknowledge the state of Miss C’s teeth and therefore did not provide the advice or treatment that was required. As a result of Dr R’s malpractice, Miss C experienced excruciating pain from a dental abscess and had to have 5 of her primary teeth extracted under general anaesthetic at hospital.
Miss C’s father commented, ‘If the decay had been treated promptly by Dr R then my daughter’s loss of teeth could have been avoided, meaning she has had to go through unnecessary pain thanks to Dr R.’ Additionally, the dental neglect that was experienced by Miss C means that she may have to go through further orthodontic treatment when her permanent teeth begin to emerge.
Miss C’s parents approached the Dental Law Partnership on behalf of their daughter. After reviewing the case, it was evident that there were grounds for a claim, which resulted in Miss C obtaining £7,500 in damages. This well-deserved compensation will hopefully help Miss C put this traumatic experience behind her, as well as covering any restorative treatment she may incur in the future.
If you think you or your child has experienced any form of dental negligence, get in touch with the Dental Law Partnership today on Freephone 0800 0853 823 to discuss your case.