Dentist to compensate patient for painful root canal

[Anonymous]

Dentist to compensate a woman for painful root canal

 

BANGALORE: Root canal treatment is considered to be one of the most painful dental treatment, but a city based woman had to bear with her painful tooth for months together due to ‘inefficient service’ by her dentist. The woman has now received compensation of Rs. 14,500 from a consumer court.

Ashwini M, a resident of Kengeri moved the 3 ^rdAdditional District Consumer Forum in June this year against Dr C Gowri Shankar, a dentist from the same area. In her complaint she stated that she was undergoing a root canal treatment at Dr Shankar’s clinic. A visiting doctor in the clinic gave the one sitting treatment.

After the treatment the pain actually increased and she once again approached Dr Gowri Shankar. This time she was referred to another visiting doctor, who again treated the painful tooth. Ashwini was charged Rs. 6,000 for the treatment. “Even after the said root canal treatment and permanent filling, I continued to suffer acute and unbearable pain in teeth. When I approached the doctor once again he showed his inability to treat me,” Ashwini told the court.

She then approached Dr Manjunath Prasad, who took x-ray of her teeth and informed her that the piece of instrument that was used for root canal was broken and stuck in the middle of her teeth, which was causing severe pain. She was left with no other option but to remove the painful tooth.

Ashwini then sought refund of the fees from Dr Gowri Shankar, who agreed to refund 50% of the amount. He issued a cheque of Rs. 3,000, which was dishonoured by the bank. She then moved the Consumer Court seeking compensation from Dr Gowri Shankar.

President T Rajashekharaiah and Member H M Shivalingappa on August 30 ruled that

‘there was deficiency in service by the doctor’ and directed him to pay Rs 11,500 to Ashwini as compensation and Rs. 3,000 as cost of litigation. “The opposite party (Dr Gowri Shankar) is granted 30 days to pay the amount. In case of default he shall be liable to pay interest on compensation at 12% p.a.” observed the court.

        

[drsnehamaheshwari]

The Bandra District Consumer Redressal Forum has directed a Kandivali-based dentist to pay Rs 75,000 to a woman for deficiency in service. The dentist, Shaung Lo Chen, allegedly administered wrong treatment and extracted two of her healthy teeth.In November 2007, Parvati Singh, a Kandivali resident, experienced acute pain in her left lower molar and approached Chen. He immediately put her under treatment and suggested root canal treatment.

At the time of the operation, Chen told Singh that two other molars were severely decayed and required extraction. Singh allowed him to do so.

However, following the procedure, the pain did not subside. When Singh approached Chen again, he told her that she needed to take good care of her teeth and administered pain killers.

Singh claimed that she put up with the ordeal for over six months and finally approached Dr Mayank Shah. Singh found out that instead of the decayed teeth, Chen had extracted healthy ones. Shah told Singh that this treatment was carried out without the basic X-ray test, a must in dental treatments.

Singh underwent the treatment again and on recovery, sent a legal notice to Chen in February 2009. Chen replied that he had done exactly what was needed. She then moved the consumer forum in July 2009.

On May 10, forum members J L Deshpande and N D Kadam, basing their orders on apex court orders, said Chen had deliberately operated on the wrong tooth. "There is no apparent reason why two healthy teeth were extracted and no X-ray tests carried out," the order stated. The forum asked Chen to pay the sum within eight weeks, failing which he would also have to pay an interest of nine per cent for the period of delay.

 

        

[site_admin]

 I think this is more of communication problem then anything else. Practicing dentists must hone their communication skills. Besides proper record keeping is a must to prevent such incidents.

        

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