Dental Mishap
From: Joel M. Eichen, D.D.S. (joeleichen_at_yahoo.com)
Date: 07/28/04
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Date: Wed, 28 Jul 2004 13:01:16 -0400
Dentist pulls 14 teeth in surgery mishap
22 July 2004
By OSKAR ALLEY
A dentist has "unreservedly apologised" to a patient for removing 14
teeth – instead of just four – in a surgical blunder.
The botch-up was caused just before the surgery when the female
patient verbally consented to having "four teeth" extracted. But the
dentist thought she said "all teeth", and removed the entire bottom
row.
She suffered severe bruising to her face and jaw.
The dentist only realised the error after the surgery while inspecting
the partial plate to be fitted to replace the four teeth.
A Health and Disability Commission finding issued yesterday has upheld
the patient's complaint. It found the dentist breached three
guidelines for her care, including failing to provide services with
reasonable care or skill and obtaining the appropriate consent.
But the dentist, identified only as Dr B, will not face any
punishment. The investigation found the dentist failed to properly
check the patient's notes before performing the November 2002 surgery.
The patient, Ms A, had seen the dentist two years earlier when an
X-ray was taken and one tooth was removed.
In November 2002, she agreed to have four lower teeth removed. A
partial plate had been ordered to replace the four teeth, and the
dentist told the investigation his normal practice was to examine it
the day before surgery. But, in this case, the plate had arrived the
day the surgery took place.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThe investigation found that just before the
patient was sedated, the dentist asked: "Do you know what we are going
to do?" or words to that effect.
"Ms A recalls that she replied, 'Clean the lower teeth, extract the
four lower teeth and fit the plate,' or words to that effect.
"Dr B's recollection is that Ms A said, 'these teeth', not 'four
teeth'."
A dental assistant present said she did not hear the patient clearly
say "four teeth", but that it was hard to understand what she did say.
When the patient awoke from the surgery and pointed out she had wanted
only four teeth removed, the dentist replied, "this was not what he
had heard", the investigation found. "Nonetheless, on observing the
plate that was to be fitted, Dr B realised his error."
The dentist had "unreservedly apologised" to the patient, provided
free follow-up care and made a contribution toward her transport
costs.
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