A 3-year-old boy was brought into an Ohio dental clinic by his mother in 2013 for what was expected to be just a routine check-up and teeth cleaning. Instead, after looking into the boy’s mouth for mere minutes and taking no X-rays, the dentist said the preschooler required seven root canals. The mom felt “stunned” but “trusted” the dentist anyway because he was a professional.
Later, the boy needed to have four of the teeth removed and suffered from a series of highly costly operations to address the damage. That’s according to a news story in The Columbus Dispatch that included a year-long investigation by USA TODAY and Newsy into the dental chain of which the clinic was a part
The chain has over 50 clinics throughout Ohio, including in Columbus, and it’s part of a larger group that has 200 offices across 13 states. Although the chain’s leadership has denied allegations of overtreatment, former employees said dentists were compelled to increase profits by treating patients for cavities they didn’t have, billing for services never performed and recommending more expensive procedures. In the boy’s case, the Medicaid bill was $1,273 for the root canals — a lot more than just the $61 for a routine dental visit.
Seeking compensation for medical injuries
Overtreatment can be a form of medical malpractice if it harms the patient. The family of the 3-year-old pursued a malpractice lawsuit and got some compensation. The dentist had his license suspended by the state, and later he retired.
Medical malpractice for any reason is wrong, let alone for the greedy sake of attaining company revenue goals. If you or a loved one believe you’re the victim of medical malpractice of any kind, it’s vital that you know your legal options. Seek out an Ohio attorney with experience litigating malpractice cases.