The Most Common Forms of Dentistry Error

 Posted on January 11, 2019 in Dentist License Defense

Every single year, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), receive thousands of medical malpractice complaints. Health professionals throughout the state, have to adhere to the standards set by the IDFPR, and if they are unable to do so, could potentially lose their license. For dentists, medical malpractice complaints are much more common than they would like to admit. If you are facing a complaint or other licensing issue from the Illinois Dental Board (which operates as a branch of the IDFPR), it is time to seek out professional legal assistance.

Mistakes You Could Make

While the vast majority of Americans put complete trust in medical experts, all professionals are humans, and mistakes can occur in any occupation. For dentists, a medical error can come with costly ramifications. Below are some of the most common forms of medical malpractice in the field of dentistry.

• Misdiagnosis: When most people think of medical malpractice, they think of surgical error or overt misconduct. In all reality, the most common form of malpractice in the medical world is incorrect, missed, or delayed diagnosis. Misdiagnosis accounts for approximately 15% of all medical malpractice cases. For patients relying on dental assistance, misdiagnosis can be life-threatening. For instance, if a dentist misdiagnoses a cancerous mouth tumor, as a harmless one, the patient could die due to the medical error.
• Incorrect Drug Dosage: Dentists have the responsibility to administer drugs to patients, as needed. If a patient is set for an oral operation, dentists often times provide their patients with anesthetic, analgesia, or another prescribed drug. Giving a patient too much of any of these drugs can result in severe injury and even death. It is also important to note that prescribing patients the wrong medication could cause patients severe medical complications or even fatal reactions.
• Improper Equipment Maintenance: Dentists around the country require assistance from high-tech equipment, to ensure that their patients receive the highest quality of care possible. If a dentist uses equipment that is either malfunctioning or improperly sanitized, they could put their patients in danger. Here in the United States, hundreds of medical malpractice cases involving improper equipment occur every year.

Contact a DuPage County Dentist Defense Lawyer

At The Law Offices of Joseph J. Bogdan, Inc., L.L.C., our team firmly believes that no person should lose their livelihood based on one mistake. If you believe that your dental license may be in jeopardy, you need an attorney that you can believe in. Fortunately, with well over a decade of legal experience in the state of Illinois, our team is confident in our ability to represent you in a disciplinary conference with the IDFPR. To schedule a meeting with a qualified Illinois dentist license defense attorney, call us today at 630-310-1267.

Sources:

https://www.dentalacademyofce.com/courses/2863/PDF/1509cei_Negalberg_web.pdf

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/1362034