What is dental negligence?

Do you dread going to see your dentist? From childhood through to adulthood, many fear dental professionals due to the pain and discomfort their treatments can cause. But with oral diseases affecting nearly 3.5 billion people worldwide, it’s a profession that’s vital to the health of our society.

Dentists are generally seen as respectable and trustworthy experts having been through years of difficult and expensive training to professionally qualify. But what happens when things go wrong and that trust is broken?

Below we discuss the ins and outs of dental negligence claims and how you can go about securing compensation.

What is dental negligence?

In most cases, even the most apprehensive patients will walk away from dental appointments in a better physical and mental condition. However, there are times when you might suffer an injury or illness due to something a dental professional did or failed to do.

Cases of dental negligence can include failing to identify or treat the early signs of a disease, carrying out an incorrect procedure or damaging other parts of your mouth in the process.

Accidents can happen in routine appointments as well as more complicated procedures. Though rarely intentional, these mistakes – or acts of negligence in legal speak – can cause undue pain and suffering.

When might you be able to make a compensation claim?

UK dentists are required to follow the General Dentil Council’s guidelines. If your treatment falls below these standards, you could be able to claim compensation. Common cases include:

• Failure to diagnose dental conditions that leads to complications like tooth and bone loss
• Incorrect tooth extraction
• Poor use of anaesthetic
• Failing to check medical history or allergies
• Poor cosmetic restoration work

These issues could leave you with lasting pain and damage, mental trauma and expensive dental repair fees, all of which can be factored into a compensation claim.

What does the claims process involve?

The first step is to get in touch with trained solicitors to find out if you have grounds to make a dental negligence claim. They’ll be able to listen to your situation and advise you on the best way forward.

If a solicitor believes they can help, they’ll begin to gather evidence to determine how much compensation you’re owed. You may be required to undergo an independent medical examination and grant access to your medical records.

Your solicitor will then submit a claim to the other party. They may agree to pay or dispute your claim, though most cases are settled without going to court.

If you think you’ve been let down, look into launching a compensation claim today to put things right.