Dental patient gets £18,000 settlement after losing three teeth

A patient has been awarded an £18,000 out-of-court settlement after he was left in pain with infection and lost three teeth following treatment from four dentists at a Chesterfield practice.
Pictured is Geoffrey Titchener, 70, of Chesterfield, who was awarded an £18,000 out-of-court settlement after he complained about dental treatment.Pictured is Geoffrey Titchener, 70, of Chesterfield, who was awarded an £18,000 out-of-court settlement after he complained about dental treatment.
Pictured is Geoffrey Titchener, 70, of Chesterfield, who was awarded an £18,000 out-of-court settlement after he complained about dental treatment.

The four dentists Dr Anna Stavla, Dr Andrew Walker, Dr Prabhjot Sohal and Dr Yumer Mastev from Wisdom Dental and Facial Aesthetic Clinic, in Chesterfield, were accused of providing poor dental care for Geoffrey Titchener, 70, of Chesterfield.

A legal action based on neglect was brought against them by the Dental Law Partnership on behalf of Mr Titchener.

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Mr Titchener said: “I spent so long going backwards and forwards for years to get my teeth sorted out between different dentists. Every time I went to see someone, something else cropped up, all of which caused me pain and agony not to mention cost.

Pictured are the teeth of Geoffrey Titchener, 70, of Chesterfield.Pictured are the teeth of Geoffrey Titchener, 70, of Chesterfield.
Pictured are the teeth of Geoffrey Titchener, 70, of Chesterfield.

“I complained to my dentists and the owner of the practice. I wasn’t aware that I could do anything about my ordeal and then I found out about Dental Law Partnership who helped me all the way and I am delighted with their service and outcome.”

Mr Titchener sought treatment after losing a filling in 2007 and, according to DLP, Dr Stavla took X-rays which showed decay in another tooth but she allegedly only replaced the filling and did not treat the other tooth.

By 2010, Mr Titchener experienced pain and was seen by Dr Walker who told him a filling was needed in an upper tooth but Mr Titchener subsequently experienced toothache and infection, according to DLP, and eventually the tooth was removed due to decay.

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DLP stated that Mr Titchener suffered pain on the lower right side of his mouth in 2012 and Dr Sohal opted to monitor the decaying tooth rather than treat it.

Pictured are the teeth of Geoffrey Titchener, 70, of Chesterfield.Pictured are the teeth of Geoffrey Titchener, 70, of Chesterfield.
Pictured are the teeth of Geoffrey Titchener, 70, of Chesterfield.

The following year, Mr Titchener saw Dr Mastev who allegedly decided a lower right wisdom tooth was rotten and referred him to a specialist for the tooth to be extracted, according to DLP.

The specialist highlighted there was a high chance the client would suffer nerve damage if an extraction was attempted, according to DLP, but despite the specialist’s diagnosis Dr Mastev allegedly extracted the tooth which left Mr Titchener’s lower lip numb for six months.

Following further pain, a new dentist allegedly found a decaying hole in the tooth which Dr Sohal had allegedly decided not to treat and advised Mr Titchener nothing could now be done to save it.

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DLP stated that Mr Titchener saw Dr Stavla, Dr Walker, Dr Sohal and Dr Mastev between 2007 and 2014 when the four dentists allegedly failed to spot dental decay in three teeth and were accused of not providing the right treatment.

Daniel Kinnear, of Dental Law Partnership, said: “Mr Titchener has been through a significant ordeal that has lasted a very long time.

“Dentists who do not diagnose and treat decay in the first instance can cause innumerable problems later down the line.”

Mr Titchener contacted the Dental Law Partnership who accepted his case in August, 2014 and his case was concluded in March 2016 with an out-of-court settlement for £18,000.

The defendants Dr Stavla, Dr Walker, Dr Sohal and Dr Mastev did not admit liability for their actions.