There will be no patient complaints if a dentist is true to serving people and giving the standard care needed by patients. But complaints and accusations are like gums that will stick to you if you will not find ways to get rid of them. You can face and deal with complaints and accusations by hiring a dental attorney to help you.
On or about December 24, 2018, the Board of Dental received a consumer complaint from a patient, who is 76 years old. The complaint stated that the patient and his wife visited the dentist’s office and were provided with a treatment plan for dental work. Under the dental practice’s advice, the patient and his wife applied for financing for $9,000.00. This amount was credited directly to the dentist upfront.
From March 19, 2018, through November 14, 2018, the patient had six appointments with various dentists at the dental office to install two crowns, but the majority of work had not yet been completed.
On October 26, 2018, the patient was charged an additional $464.00 for his wife’s crown. On December 12, 2018, the patient and his wife arrived at the dental practice for a crown and an extraction. The door was locked and the voicemail mailbox was full. The patient found out from the chiropractor’s office next door that the dentist had moved out of the office in November 2018 before Thanksgiving. The patient and his wife still needed extractions, cleanings, and delivery of crowns and a night guard. They paid $9,464.00 in advance, and they estimated that they were due $6,869.00 worth of dental work. The patient and his wife did not receive any notification from the dentist about his practice closing down and were not provided with the dentist’s forwarding contact information. They have sought subsequent dental treatment, and have requested a refund from their payment for the dental work that was not performed.
The Board’s investigator contacted the dentist. He provided incomplete and unclear records of the patient including progress notes, a treatment plan, patient health history, and forms involving treatment consent, risk benefits, alternative treatment, the financial agreement, and mandated state forms such as privacy agreements. Based on the records, the dentist did not perform a thorough dental examination.
The incidents above brought a big problem to the dentist. Due to his unprofessional conduct, he is subject to disciplinary action by the Board, in that he was repeatedly negligent in the care and treatment of the patient and in his cooperation with the Board’s investigation.
This could never happen if only the dentist had never failed to hire a dental attorney. Having a dental attorney around during the case could have yielded a different result.
Be sure to find a dental attorney who’s experienced and knowledgeable in several cases to ensure the best assistance possible. If you also received a complaint regarding a case or complaint filed on you, you should hire a dental attorney immediately before it’s too late. Texas dental attorney Yong J. An is one of those dedicated dental lawyers who helped various dentists in their cases since 2006. You may contact him 24/7 at (832) 428-5679 for more information or if you want to schedule a private consultation.