About Mark Bornfeld DDS Expertise I can respond to all questions dealing with the practice of dentistry, from both the dentist`s and patient`s perspective. I am knowledgeable about all dental disciplines, from cosmetic dentistry to surgery, from restorative dentistry to root canal treatment. I have strong opinions about controversial issues in dental practice, including those topics which directly impact on the reputation of the profession in the eyes of both the lay public and our health profession colleagues.
Experience
Past/Present Clients Editor, Queens County Academy of General Dentistry newsletter; contributor to Dentistry.com 29 years practicing general dentistry partnered with brother Steve as one-half of the DentalTwins®
Question I recently had and awful experience with a dental office. I am new to the area and have a badly infected tooth that I was advised was too far gone to have a root canal and needed to be extracted, he gave me antibiotics and tells me to see a specialist. The tooth is #2, the initial dentist refered me to a surgeon, that is in their group practice, I went to the surgeon, Now paying for a second consult, and a more expensive x-ray, he tells me the same thing the tooth needs to be extracted. Ok, He schedules me for a month away, i ask if the tooth can make it that long because it was causing me a lot of pain an discomfort, they said yes, if not call. of course 10 days later the pain is intense and i call the dentis office as instructed. I requested to speak with the Doctor, but the office manager did so for me, and a different doctor in the practice according to the office manager said that i should wait to see the surgeon for the extraction and calls me in another antibiotic and pain pills. I continue to wait. eating is quite difficult and the pain when i do eat can get quite intense. So the question arises when the day prior to my appointment about 330 pm I get a voice mail, which had been left at 11 am saying, from the office manager,"if i don't hear from you about your appointment by 2pm I will be canceled." nothing else no reason given just that's it. Since I didn't get the message in her time line my appointment has been canceled. I now get to start the process over again, find a new dentist etc....I had already had 2 appointments spent 350 dollars to get to the appointment and she just canceled it. there is nothing written that I could have an appointment canceled if i didn't check in the day before, what is this this has never happened to me before. I called to speak with one of the Dentists in the practice and he said our time is valuable and you should have answered your phone... Please note it took him a day to return my call. What do I do It is hard to get a dentist around here, and any surgeon requires you to have a referal to a dentist. are dentists held to some code of ethics similar to doctors. this is an outrage.
Answer Dear Sidney,
If the events were as you have presented them, then the actions of your dentists are unconscionable.
Dentists are legally and morally obligated to provide prompt treatment in matters of urgency, and an acute dental infection certainly qualifies as such. Failure to provide prompt service to a person in pain is considered "abandonment"-- a specific form of professional negligence.
Of course, your first priority is to have your dental problem properly treated. However, it would seem that you are due some form of remedy. You should consider consulting with an attorney. One other alternative is to inquire whether your local dental society provides for a process of peer review. You can find contact information for your local dental society at the following web page:
