Having a dental attorney in dealing with dental cases can make the Board’s decision be in your favor. Some dentist tends to be involved in negligence cases and in any common cases in dentistry. Dentists are expected to meet the standard care given to all patients and are expected to minimize negligence during dental treatment. A dentist in Allen, Texas was one of the dentists involved in such cases.
On or about February 26, 2020, a mother brought her almost 4-year-old daughter to a surgery center for dental treatment. On that date, the dentist placed the child under general anesthesia and performed multiple procedures including (1) six per apical radiographs, (2) two bitewing radiographs, (3) multiple intraoral photographs, and (4) pulpotomy and stainless steel crowns to eight teeth (identified as teeth A, B, LJ, K, L, 8, T).
On or about March 20, 2020, the mother sought further dental treatment for the child from the dentist. At that time, the patient was missing crowns from several of her teeth, as well as having exudate (the fluid that leaks out of blood vessels) at the buccal (the cheek-side) of tooth T. It was determined that J.S. needed to have “…GA [general anesthesia] for re-cementation and ext [extraction]”. The dentist again placed the patient under general anesthesia and performed the following procedures: (1) two bitewing radiographs, (2) six per apical radiographs, (3) re-cementation of the stainless steel crown on tooth B, and (4) extraction of tooth T. Upon extraction of the tooth, no space maintenance was completed and no notes reflect consideration of current or future needs for space maintenance.
On June 18, 2020, the mother once again returned to the surgery center regarding further complications with her daughter’s teeth. A different treating dentist, once more using general anesthesia, had to extract 4 other teeth on which the dentist had performed pulpotomy (teeth A, L, 8, and K), and inserted a UR space maintainer.
As a response to the incident and upon the Board’s investigation regarding the complaint and accusation filed against the dentist. The dentist was disciplined on the grounds of gross negligence in that his treatment of the patient was an extreme departure from the standard of care wherein he failed to have a detailed informed consent conversation with the patient’s parent/guardian to include findings, recommended treatment options, risks and benefits of available treatment options, and alternative treatment options. And also for incompetence and multiple acts of negligence.
This could never happen if the dentist only did the right thing and only if he hired a dental attorney for help regarding the case. The assistance of a dental attorney could have helped the case become better for the dentist. This is why you should be prompt in situations like these. So if you ever encounter such an issue, it’s best to contact Dental Attorney Yong J. An at (832) 428-5679 for a confidential consultation.