The Dentistry Industry
In 2020/21 the NHS reported that 18.2 million adults and 3.9 million children were seen by dentists. However, there was a decrease in treatments within this period by 68.77% compared to the With the dental industry being worth billions in the NHS and the private sector, negligence claims can be brought against the industry.
Dental Negligence
Over the last few years, Dental Negligence has been on the rise due to substandard care from a dental professional. Most popular Dental Negligence claims include:
- Delay or incorrect diagnosis
- Nerve injury
- Mistakes resulting in loss/damage to teeth
- Misdiagnosis/delay in diagnosis of Periodontal Disease
Periodontal Disease
Periodontal Disease is common and is caused by oral infections which once left untreated can turn into Periodontal Disease. It can be caused by a negligent procedure or the dentist not providing the correct aftercare resulting in this disease. Once this has developed the gums can pull away from the teeth, bone can be lost, and some teeth can even fall out.It is the body’s own inflammatory response to the bacterial infection that is responsible for the spread and intensity of the disease. Signs of Periodontal disease to the client can include any of the following:
- Pocketing, redness, and soreness of the gums
- Bleeding gums on brushing
- Persistent foul-smelling breath
- Drifting and/or mobility in teeth
Complications/Reasons for Failure of Dental Negligence Claims
Dental negligence cases can result in a high value of compensation for the client however there is a high failure rate due to the following reasons:
- Lack of evidence – for a Dental Negligence claim to be passed, they must have plenty of evidence to prove that negligence was at play. In many cases, clients don’t have this evidence to support their case. Dental negligence cases have also been known to be more tricky to prove due to the fine margins of whether negligence was in play. For example, if a tooth was broken during a procedure, it may have been unpreventable.
- Out of time – as with most claims, Dental Negligence claims can be processed within three years since the client’s date of knowledge that the negligence occurred.
As mentioned, Dental Negligence cases can have a high value when negligence is approved by the courts. Examples of average playouts:
- Loss/serious damage to one single front tooth – £1,760 – £3,150
- Loss/serious damage to two front teeth – £3,470 – £6,080
- Loss/serious damage to several front teeth – £6,960 – £9,100
- Chronic pain in the mouth – settlement up to £30,390
- Fractured jaw – £40,000 – £55,000
Conclusion
With Dental Negligence claims having an overall high failure rate there comes the question, should Dental Negligence claims be run? The answer is simply, yes. If a client’s case is proven to be negligent and backed up with evidence, there is a high chance that the compensation value is greater than £1500 and will go up to £55,000 in some cases. So don’t let the high failure rate put you off as a solicitor.
Medical Negligence Reports
Here at UKExpertMedical, we appreciate how traumatic these cases can be. Our team will always act in the best interests of the client and solicitor to prepare Medical Negligence Reports as quickly as possible, in order that the claim can progress to a prompt conclusion. Our Medical Negligence Reports now cover Dental Negligence cases. Get in touch with our team today.
