Dental Malpractice

Any kind of negligence or poor quality of dental care performed by a dentist or dental professional can be defined as dental malpractice. According to the National Practitioner Data Bank, which the United States Department of Health and Human Services administers, one out of every seven medical malpractice cases directly involved a dental professional in the year 2006. The standard quality of care in the dental profession is very high and should be commended for its willingness to improve upon its methodology. But negligence and malpractice occur in the dental profession as well as in other parts of the healthcare profession.

Dentistry is a difficult and rewarding profession. Dentists work long hours laboring on sensitive areas of the oral cavity with precise diamond-tipped utensils so as to get the surgery completed with minimal discomfort.

There are many ways to experience dental malpractice and negligence. Below are several different ways:

• Failure to properly detect an oral disease or malformation
• Improper utilization of dental or surgical utensils
• Installation of defective or shoddy dental products
• Personal injury to oral cavity or surrounding bone and tissue
• Wrongful death due to dental procedures or anesthetic

But for all the hard work, cases and suits filed for general dental malpractice and negligence are a reality. Malpractice is not the norm in the dental or medical profession, but a blight upon the healthcare industry.

Other forms of malpractice may come in to play with the kind of insurance an individual has. A dentist or dental professional may proceed with unnecessary diagnosis and exams, and follow through with their corresponding procedures, for the sole purpose of collecting higher insurance compensation. Although this is not the norm for such an outstanding profession, some dentists may try to abuse the insurance system for their benefit.

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