Dental Negligence Claims

If you’ve suffered poor treatment at the dentist which caused unnecessary pain and suffering, you may qualify for no win no fee dental negligence compensation — helping to get your life back on track.

While a visit to the dentist can be a stressful experience, the majority of dental procedures are carried out without incident. However, if something does go wrong and you’re left with unnecessary damage or injury, our specialist dental negligence solicitors can help you secure the compensation you need for corrective treatment or to cover loss of earnings.

At Hudgell Solicitors we believe everyone deserves the highest level of care during dental procedures, whether privately or through the NHS. From common injuries like the wrong tooth being removed to more serious incidents which result in lasting nerve damage — you could make a claim for dental negligence if you’ve suffered an injury in the dentist chair.

To find out if you’re eligible for dental negligence compensation and to start your claim, get in touch with our expert team today. For more advice and information, take a look at our guide and FAQs below.

Making a Dental Negligence Claim

Most dental procedures cause some degree of pain and discomfort, but if you think the problem with your teeth has been exacerbated by your dentist, you could be eligible to make a no win no fee claim.

What counts as dental negligence?

Dental procedures can be very complex, with lots of things that can go wrong. If you’ve experienced any of the following, however, you could be entitled to dental injury compensation.

• Misdiagnosis — A false diagnosis or misdiagnosis occurs when a dental problem is misjudged, leading to worsening symptoms and unnecessary treatment.
• Delayed diagnosis — If your dentist takes too long to diagnose a problem with your oral health, to the point where avoidable complications occur, this is delayed diagnosis.
• Substandard dental work — A dentist’s work is deemed inadequate or substandard when they fail to carry out treatment to a reasonable standard.
• Poor long–term care — You may be entitled to compensation if your dentist has provided inadequate care over a long period of time, resulting in the onset of serious dental issues. We’ll review your dental records to assess the likelihood of long-term failures and poor treatment.

How our dental negligence experts can help you

Everyone has the right to the highest standard of care when visiting their dentist, and we’re here to hold dentists to account for preventable errors and failures. Our specialist medical negligence solicitors have years of knowledge and experience in dental claims, and can make all the difference in helping to secure the compensation you deserve.

With the guidance and expertise of our dental negligence solicitors, we’ll make sure you’re kept up to date throughout the claims process. Our team will do all they can to make sure that the settlement sum is appropriate to your medical needs and loss of earnings, and that it reflects the pain and suffering you’ve experienced.

Meet our specialist Vince Shore

Vince Shore is a senior solicitor specialising in medical and clinical negligence claims. Here, Vince discusses the implications of inadequate care at the dentist and how Hudgell Solicitors can help you.

“Many patients fail to realise that the dental profession is loosely regulated, leaving many not only at risk of receiving sub-standard treatment, but also facing large bills for remedial work should their treatment go wrong.

“Our clients have suffered from dentists failing to identify and treat gum disease (despite patients having many regular check-ups) to poorly fitting crowns and painful abscesses caused by errors in treatment — and the consequences can be severe.

“At Hudgell Solicitors, we continually campaign for greater regulation over dentistry, and work hard to make sure the victims of sub-standard care are properly represented, and fully compensated for their pain and loss.”

Compensation Guide

Dental Negligence Frequently Asked Questions

If you’ve experienced substandard treatment in the dentist’s chair but need more information before making a claim, the FAQs below address any queries and concerns you might have about your eligibility. We’ve answered the questions we’re asked most regularly about cases of insufficient care and treatment at the dentist, helping you to understand the type of claim, the assessment process and how we can help you to secure the compensation you’re entitled to.

What is dental negligence?

Dental negligence refers to pain, injury or trauma suffered as a result of substandard dental treatment. The most severe cases can have a dramatic impact on a person’s health, leading to the onset of permanent nerve damage, lifelong pain or the progression of mouth cancer.

To prove dental negligence, claimants must be able to show evidence that they have suffered injury, damage or unnecessary pain and suffering as a result of poor dental treatment. It may not be possible to make a claim unless you can adequately prove that damage or injury was incurred by your dentist.

What are the different types of dental negligence?

Every case of negligent dental treatment has its own unique circumstances that need to be considered. Generally speaking, however, cases can be categorised into three main categories, including:

Delayed diagnosis

If your dentist takes too long to diagnose a problem with your oral health, to the point where further complications occur that could have been avoidable, this is a delayed diagnosis. Examples of this may include your dentist failing to:

• Treat decay or act upon signs of gum disease
• Diagnose serious dental conditions like abscesses, periodontal disease and oral cancer

Misdiagnosis

A false diagnosis or misdiagnosis occurs when a dental problem is misjudged, leading to worsening symptoms and unnecessary treatment. This could include:

• Removal of a healthy tooth due to error or misdiagnosis
• Incorrect drugs administered due to misdiagnosis

Substandard dental work

A dentist’s work is deemed substandard or inadequate when they fail to carry out treatment to a reasonable standard. Examples of substandard work include:

• Inadequate fillings, crowns, or root canal treatment
• Incorrect fitting of implants
• Failed implants
• Poor standards of hygiene e.g. Not using clean and sterile equipment
• Improper use of anaesthesia
• Nerve damage or failure to offer suitable alternative treatment such as root canal treatment prior to extraction

Long-term failings in treatment and care

Often, patients can continue visiting the same dentist for many years without realising that poor treatment is impacting their long-term dental health. Prolonged inadequate treatment can have significant consequences, increasing the risk of serious health problems like premature tooth decay and periodontal disease.

How will my dental negligence claim be assessed?

If we accept your claim, our experienced team will work closely with you to establish the circumstances of your case. Dental claims differ greatly, so we’ll assess the following to build our case and decide on an appropriate settlement sum:

• Your dental history — We’ll look at your prior history of dental health problems to assess whether this is a one-off incident exacerbated by your dentist, or an ongoing health issue.
• Type of injury — The severity of the injury will affect the settlement sum, with more serious problems attracting greater compensation.
• Severity of pain — If you’re in persistent and severe pain, your claim is likely to fetch a higher settlement.
• Remedial expenses — One of the key factors in assessing your claim is the cost of ongoing remedial work. Any compensation you receive will help to pay for expensive medical bills and appointments.
• Prognosis — We’ll assess the long and short term consequences of your dental injury. Naturally, life-changing damage and health problems will attract higher compensation.

Can I make a claim for dental negligence?

If you believe you can show appropriate evidence that your dentist has caused injury, damage or unnecessary pain and suffering, you could be eligible to claim for dental negligence compensation. We’ll closely assess any evidence you provide, as well as the points listed above, to decide if you’re entitled to make a claim.

What can I claim for?

Dental negligence can cause unwanted pain and suffering, impacting your quality of life. It also brings financial implications, with patients forced to pay out thousands for remedial dental care whilst coping with a direct loss of earnings.

If you believe you’ve been a victim of negligent dental care, you may be able to claim compensation for the following:

• General damages ­— For any pain and suffering you have experienced
• Expenses —Any expenses you’ve incurred as part of your claim. This may include further treatment, transport or prescriptions
• Loss of earnings —Due to time off work
• Remedial costs —For any treatment to repair the damage done by negligent dental work

What does the Law say?

Guidance from the General Dental Council states that all dental practitioners in the UK should be insured against instances of negligence – but there is no law to enforce it.

This lack of firm legislation means that many dentists practising in the UK are not insured, placing a large responsibility on patients to do their research before receiving treatment.

There are plans to bring in legislation which will make insurance a legal requirement, but it is not clear when this is set to come into effect.

Thankfully, most cases are resolved out of court with a settlement, and your solicitor will ensure all settlement offers are given the correct consideration.

What can dental negligence compensation pay for?

If you’ve suffered substandard treatment at the hands of your dentist, compensation can help with the cost of rectifying their mistakes to get your life back on track. A settlement achieved in a case of substandard dental treatment isn’t for financial gain, but to help cover the cost of ongoing treatment and care, and any loss of earnings which you may have incurred by taking time away from work to attend additional appointments.

How can Hudgell Solicitors help?

With our expert medical negligence team and no win no fee commitment, Hudgell Solicitors can help you overcome the pain and suffering associated with inadequate dental work. Led by Vince Shore, our team will:

• Obtain independent dental evidence — Qualified experts will review the evidence of your claim to advise on the treatment provided, and ascertain whether it amounts to negligence.
• Collect information on your financial losses —Including the cost of multiple treatments, travel expenses, loss of earnings or anything else that has left you out of pocket.
• Support you throughout the process — The claims process can be complicated, so our knowledgeable team are always available for your questions and queries.

To start your dental negligence claim today or to get free and impartial advice about your situation, call our team now.

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