malpractice

[Douglas Lovelock]

Dear Akira,

Most of the palpractice problems in U.K. come into the following
categories, and may be picked up if the dentist is being investigated
for other malpractice:

1] Over prescription of radiographs, for instance an orthodontist
asking for bitewings in addition to normal orthodontic assessment
radiographs on all his new patients referred by general dental
practitioners [who would be looking after the patients' caries
treatment]. There was also fraud involved in this case not
connected with radiology.  This dentist had his name removed from the
Dentists Register, and can therefore no longer practice.

2] Using unsafe equipment.  A dentist may be taken to court  by the
Health and Safety Executive for having unsafe equipment, and not
taking it out of service.

3] Failure to treat existing conditions, most commonly periodontal
disease, for which the dentist may or may not have radiographic
evidence.

4] Failure to carry out appropriated investigations on say a lump in
a salivary gland, later found out to be malignant. ?? Should have had
CT on initial presentation.

5] Failure by a radiologist to notice a filling defect on a
sialogram.  Later, found to be a tumour.

6] A dentist found not to be taking radiographs in accordance with
current safety rules, also not undertaking adequate cross infection
measures.  Removed from Dentists Register.

7] Supplier of a new dental x-ray machine not checking intallation
properly.  Machine continuously emmited radiation when mains switched
on.  Dentist and his assistant received appreciable radiation dose.
Supplier sued for damages.

These are a few cases from memory.  Example 4 involved a speciallist
Oral Surgeon, and 5 a Medical Radiologist.  These were mainly
radiological.  Examples 2 &7 was purely radiation safety.  However
the majority of problems seem to involve radiology in a secondary
way.

I hope that this information is of use to you.

Kindest regards,

Douglas Lovelock.

 > Date:          Mon, 5 Aug 2002 08:03:40 +0900
> Reply-to:      Oral Radiology Discussion Group <ORADLIST at LISTSERV.UCLA.EDU>
> From:          Akira Taguchi <akiro at HIROSHIMA-U.AC.JP>
> Subject:       malpractice
> To:            ORADLIST at LISTSERV.UCLA.EDU

> --============_-1183620270==_ma============
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Dear Colleagues
>
> Could you give me some informations about the malpractice in dental
> radiology? I mean, how are the dentists judged when they misdiagnose the
> dental radiograph (such as overlooking of cancer) ? Or how are the oral
> radiologists judged in misdiagosing these?
> I appreciate some informations around the world.
> Sincerely yours,
>
> Akira Taguchi
> *********************************
> Akira Taguchi, DDS, PhD
> Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology,
> Hiroshima University Hospital
> 1-2-3, Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima734-8553,
> Japan
> *********************************
> --============_-1183620270==_ma============
> Content-Type: text/enriched; charset="us-ascii"
>
> <color><param>0100,0100,0100</param>Dear Colleagues
>
>
> </color>Could you give me some informations about the malpractice in
> dental radiology? I mean, how are the dentists judged when they
> misdiagnose the dental radiograph (such as overlooking of cancer) ? Or
> how are the oral radiologists judged in misdiagosing these?
>
> I appreciate some informations around the world.
>
> Sincerely yours,
>
>
> Akira Taguchi
>
> *********************************
>
> Akira Taguchi, DDS, PhD
>
> Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology,
>
> Hiroshima University Hospital
>
> 1-2-3, Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima734-8553,
>
> Japan
>
> *********************************
>
> --============_-1183620270==_ma============--
>
>
--------------------------------------------------
Douglas Lovelock
Dept. of Radiology
Dental Hospital & School
Richardson Road
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4AZ, UK.
Telephone: International Code: +44 191-. National Code: 0191-
Phone -232-5131, bleep 2331, or ext 24867.
Direct line -282-4867.
Fax -222-6137, -227-5149.