UK Woman Awarded £12,500 in Dental Malpractice Settlement

Dentist’s Errors Lead to Irreparable Tooth Decay

UK: A recent article by Mel King on the Essex Live news website reports that a woman from Tiptree, Essex, has been awarded £12,500 in an out-of-court settlement following a case of dental malpractice. The patient, 52-year-old Joanne Russell, suffered “irreparable” tooth decay due to substandard dental work, which led to multiple extractions and ongoing dental issues.

Years of Undetected Decay

According to the report, Ms Russell was treated by Dr Isra Mujahid at South Benfleet Dental Care between 2017 and 2019. During this period, decay went unnoticed and untreated, leading to severe consequences. “I’ve always made an effort to look after my teeth and attended regular dental appointments. I thought you should be able to believe what your dentist says and trust that things are okay, unless they tell you otherwise,” Ms Russell told Essex Live.

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It wasn’t until she was seen by another dentist at the same practice between 2020 and 2022 that the extent of her dental problems came to light. “I was completely taken aback to be told there were multiple further issues with my teeth where previous work had been done so badly,” she said.

Physical and Emotional Toll

The article details the significant impact this experience has had on Ms Russell’s life. She has undergone two tooth extractions, each causing weeks of pain and discomfort. “I’ve been left with multiple gaps in my mouth which require further remedial work, but I suffer a lot from dental anxiety, and I’m really scared about going through even more treatment to install implants to replace the lost teeth,” she explained.

The ordeal has been not only physically painful but also emotionally distressing. “I’ve found the whole experience extremely stressful and painful. Before I was treated by Dr Mujahid at Together Dental, I had never needed any dental work,” Ms Russell stated.

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Legal Action and Settlement

In 2023, Ms Russell contacted the Dental Law Partnership. Upon review of her records, the legal team found errors dating back to 2017, where decay had been left untreated, leading to irreversible damage.

Rebecca McVety of the Dental Law Partnership commented on the case: “The distress and pain our client has experienced was completely unnecessary. If the dentist involved had provided more satisfactory treatment, her problems could have been avoided.”

The case was settled out of court in March 2024, with Ms Russell receiving £12,500. However, it’s noted in the article that the dentist did not admit liability.

Ongoing Dental Concerns

The Essex Live article highlights that Ms Russell may face further dental issues in the future. She is likely to lose more teeth and require costly implant procedures, as well as additional root canal treatments to manage the progressed decay.

This case serves as a reminder of the importance of thorough and attentive dental care, and the potential consequences when standards are not met. While South Benfleet Dental Care was contacted for comment, their response was not included in the original article.

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