DT News - UK - Oral cancer patient sues dentist

Dental Tribune International

Wed. 20 February 2013

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MANCHESTER – A woman from Manchester has sued her dentist for failing to diagnose her oral cancer. The 58-year-old was referred to the dentist for regular check-ups after she had developed a white patch on her gingiva. When he eventually referred her to the hospital after several appointments, the doctors diagnosed her with “seriously invasive cancer”.

As reported by The Telegraph Online, the patient had developed the white patch several years ago. The lesion was shown to be benign at that stage. In 2004, doctors at the University Dental Hospital of Manchester referred her to a local dentist, asking him to re-refer the woman should he or the patient notice any changes.

In June 2008, the patient consulted the dentist because she was worried about the patch. He dismissed her concerns. Another five appointments followed. The patient was advised to “manage” her complaint with mouthwash. Eventually, the dentist referred his patient to the hospital in April 2009, where she was diagnosed with oral cancer.

According to The Telegraph Online, the woman underwent “unpleasant surgery and radical treatment, including removal of affected bone and parts of her mouth and dissection of her lymph glands, which had been invaded by the tumour, followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy”.

In January 2013, the dentist was taken to court and his barrister stated that his client denied that he had been in any way at fault.

On 18 February, a High Court judge exonerated the dentist. The judge believed the dentist, who had stated that “he simply could not have failed to see the white patch when he examined the patient in June of 2008 and when he later treated her for soreness of the gum in the same area. He insisted that he would have recorded any concern expressed by her and would have referred her if the appearance of the white patch had been as described by her”.

The claim was dismissed.

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