When Is It Dental Malpractice And When Is It Something Else?

Unfortunately, there is more than one way your dentist can mistreat you as a patient. Dental fraud might sound like something that can lead to a dental injury. But under Colorado law, they are two different – potentially severe – types of dental claims.

What Is Dental Fraud?

Dental fraud happens when your dentist performs unnecessary procedures on your teeth or gums to charge higher fees to you or your insurance company. Like most of us, you rely on your dentist’s knowledge and expertise to advise you when you need dental surgery. When a dentist betrays that trust, not only can it be costly to you, but you might also suffer complications from the procedure that lead to pain, discomfort, problems chewing and other symptoms.

Another Name For Malpractice

Dental injury is another term for dental malpractice. Instead of defrauding a patient, malpractice occurs when the dentist fails to give the patient the standard of care to which they are legally entitled. Examples include failing to diagnose or misdiagnosing a disease or condition, operating on the wrong part of the mouth and overmedicating. These mistakes can put a patient in grave danger. For example, an overdose of anesthesia can be fatal.

When Should You Contact An Attorney?

Before contacting a lawyer, ensure that the issue does not stem from a misunderstanding of the process by following up with the dental office and clearing up any miscommunication. For example, you must wait for dentures to be molded after getting your teeth pulled. You may fear that the dentist is purposely postponing the procedure, but you find out that the delay is not on their end. You should contact an attorney if you continue having concerns after communicating with your dentist.

At Tomazin Law Group LLP, we handle dental injury cases due to malpractice. Contact our law firm right away if you have experienced an injury. If you’ve encountered fraud-related issues, then we recommend that you reach out to a consumer fraud attorney.

Setting Things Right After Negligent Dentistry

We help people in the Denver metro area who need compensation after their dentists negligently caused dental injuries. We have successfully settled and tried numerous dental malpractice cases, often securing hundreds of thousands of dollars for our clients. We are a dedicated team that will stand by you until your case is resolved.

To find out more, schedule a free consultation with one of us. Call our Denver office at 303-835-4595 to get started.