18-Yo Awarded £10K For Dentist’s Alleged Failure to Detect Decay

UK: According to an article published on May 25, 2024 in the Daily Mail, an 18-year-old from Stockport named Toby Parker was recently awarded £10,000 after undergoing a “really painful” tooth extraction. Parker claims the extraction could have been avoided if his dentist had identified signs of decay during his earlier childhood visits over the span of a decade.

The article states that Parker’s tooth decay was only diagnosed in 2021 after he visited a dental hospital for a second opinion regarding potential orthodontic treatment. Despite his dentist applying fluoride toothpaste, Parker alleges “no decay was ever identified or treated.”

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Consequences and Settlement

Due to the extent of decay found, Parker required one tooth to be extracted as well as fillings for three other affected teeth. As a result of the extraction, he claims to now be “unable to eat ice cream” and is “missing a tooth which I should’ve had for the rest of my life.”

In 2021, Parker and his parents contacted the Dental Law Partnership, who determined that years of undiagnosed decay had been left untreated despite signs that should have been spotted and addressed by 2018, leading to significant deterioration.

The case was settled out of court in February 2024, with Parker receiving £10,000, although the dentist did not admit liability. Poppy Heslop of the Dental Law Partnership stated:

“The distress and pain our client has experienced was completely unnecessary. If the dentist involved had provided more satisfactory treatment, his problems could have been avoided.”

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Patient’s Perspective

Parker expressed disappointment at the situation, saying:

“It’s annoying and now my teeth are so sensitive I can’t eat cold things like ice cream. But more importantly, it’s the shock of the whole thing and disappointment at the mistakes the dentist made at a crucial point of time in my life, especially after the amount of trust I put into him as a child.”

He also expressed concerns about future dental visits:

“It’s really not pleasant when you find out the person you trusted for years has let you down, and I’m now scared of going back to the dentist.”