Can I sue for dental malpractice in Georgia
Like other healthcare providers, dentists can cause injury to patients due to negligence and we refer to this as dental malpractice. Your medical doctor and associated medical staff have a duty and responsibility to follow patient care best practices. Many people don’t realize that dentists are held to the same high standards.
Dental malpractice warning signs
Dental patients who observe any of the following signs may be in danger of injury from malpractice:
- Unprofessional behavior. Examples include the dentist being distracted, making mistakes in paperwork, talking on personal cell phone while examining patients, ignoring patient concerns, and many other inappropriate activities
- Use of improperly sterilized equipment. Using equipment and devices on multiple patients without sterilizing surfaces, fails to dry sterilized tools, failure to clean patient chair after each visit, etc.
- Unsanitary water. Evidence of infected water used at stations for patient’s cleaning, rinsing, surgery, etc.
- Unsanitary exam rooms, front office, public areas. Evidence of rodent activity, visible presence of insects (dead or alive), dingy or blatantly unsanitary exam room floors
- Expired medications. Medications the dentist uses while performing patient procedures can expire, including but not limited to numbing medication for injection, oral topical numbing compounds, nitrous oxide gas for pain mitigation, any other medications used on or given to patients
- Improper performance of procedures. Dentist fails to properly complete a procedure, failure to adequately stitch oral wounds, failure to provide clear and appropriate post procedure instructions, performing unnecessary procedures, any other action or inaction that constitutes negligence in patient care
If any of these warning signs are present, they create a potential environment for harm to patients. As in any medical setting, infection control is crucial for keeping patients (and staff) safe and healthy. Infections of the mouth can spread to other parts of the body and become life threatening or cause facial disfigurement.
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury due to dental malpractice, you need an experienced, aggressive dental malpractice lawyer to discuss the details of what happened with you. Dental malpractice poses a serious threat to your health.
Burmeister Law Firm represents clients who have suffered injuries from dental malpractice, including death, due to provider negligence and other personal injury cases.
If you or a loved one has suffered injuries in a dental office setting, contact Burmeister Law Firm today to arrange a free, no-obligation consultation about your legal case.
