Woman Wins £15,000 in Dental Negligence Compensation
A woman has recently been awarded £15,000 in dental negligence compensation after her Torquay dentist failed to adequately treat her tooth decay.
Dental negligence in Torquay
28 year old Hannah Dallywater was left with severe toothache, infections and three severely damaged teeth after her dentist, Dr Porter, failed to provide her with the correct treatment despite numerous check ups.
Mrs Dallywater was Dr Porter’s patient between 2006 and 2012, and the beauty therapist even underwent a root canal with the dentist.
Mrs Dallywater said:
“I always trusted Dr Porter. During the time I was her patient I had root canal treatment and some restorative work but never thought there was anything major to worry about. After all, you expect your dentist to spot problems and carry out the treatment you need. She was my long-term dentist so I always believed I was in safe hands and had healthy teeth.”
New dentist
In 2015 Mrs Dallywater moved away from Torquay to Hastings, Essex, and sought a new dentist with the move. However, problems soon started to become apparent. She went on to say:
“I had chipped a tooth and needed root canal treatment. Unfortunately when my new dentist was undertaking the procedure he left a dental instrument inside my tooth. I was shocked by what had happened and the potential consequences, so I contacted solicitors.”
Legal advice
After examining Mrs Dallywater’s dental records, she was advised that a case should be brought against Dr Porter rather than her new dentist. Her dental records showed that decay had been present in two of her teeth as far back as 2006, but that Dr Porter did nothing to fix them. The dentist also carried out poor root canal treatment on another of Mrs Dallywater’s teeth, causing damage.
With the above factors in mind, the 28 year old was advised that it was Dr Porter who was ultimately responsible for the problems that she was now facing.
Mrs Dallywater went on to say:
“It is unbelievable. I had regularly been suffering from toothache, infections and pain in my gums, but was always told everything was fine. But in reality Dr Porter had never been providing adequate treatment. Her inaction over many years made my problems worse and three teeth have been seriously damaged that should have been perfectly healthy.
“It’s horrible and I feel like putting my face down when I talk to people or smile because I am so self-conscious about the gap. I worry my teeth are weak, so feel I have to be careful when eating in case they break off. I also feel paranoid about my dental health so I am constantly brushing my teeth or using mouthwash.
“I work in the beauty industry where how you look is important, and people don’t expect you to have a gap when you smile.
“It is also upsetting when people imply that it must all be my fault in some way and that I can’t have looked after my teeth properly. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. It is all because Dr Porter failed to spot decay that was clearly visible for years. I never used to mind going to the dentist but I do now, and I will be spending a lot more time in a dentist’s chair thanks to Dr Porter.”
According to devonlive.com, the dentist did not admit admit liability. A total of £15,000 in dental negligence compensation was settled out of court.
Dental negligence compensation claims – expert advice
Dental negligence compensation may be available if you have experienced any unnecessary discomfort as a direct result of the actions taken by your dentist. This could include any situation in which your dentist has failed to treat your symptoms within a reasonable time-frame.
If you believe that your symptoms are linked to negligence, our expert team of dental negligence compensation solicitors could help you to secure maximum personal injury compensation. Call 0800 888 6888 or send an email to for instant advice.
Source: devonlive.com
