Delays in dental appointments may lead to an increase in the number of claims against dentists, To find our where you stand contact our free legal helpline on 0333 888 0406 or email [email protected] for your free case assessment.
Recent press reports have revealed that in some parts of the UK, patients are waiting up to 26 months for a dental appointment. This in turn is likely to result in claims against dentists rising.
Given that most of us require a check up every 6 months to monitor our dental health, this is a ticking time bomb when it comes to missed tooth decay and gum disease. The longer gum disease and decay are left, the more harm that is caused to the patient. Simple treatment becomes less effective and tooth loss becomes more likely.
Not only is this a dental health crisis, but what many people are unaware of, is the link between dental health and overall health. Dental health is known to impact conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and links have also been found between poor dental health and dementia. Worryingly this is going to cause even more strain on the NHS going forward.
Lack of funding and the pandemic are being touted as amongst the main causes, but many will testify that getting an NHS dental appointment was difficult a long time before Covid arrived.
Unfortunately, legal claims against dentists purely for having long waiting lists cannot be made. This is because they arise as a result of systemic failures within the NHS, rather than being due to an individual dentist’s lack of care. However, it is likely to create conditions where tooth decay and gum disease thrive and if these issues are not adequately treated by dental practitioners then negligence claims against dentists are likely to increase.
if you are concerned about any dental treatment you have received, or you are worried that your dentist has failed to diagnose tooth decay or gum disease, please contact our free dental helpline.