Dental expert advises on failure to diagnose broken jaw

Upon reviewing materials regarding examination of treatment of plaintiff, and based on the facts, my education, training and experience in the dental care profession, and my knowledge of the standards of care, skill and diligence exercised and required of by the dental profession and dentists, it is my opinion that the defendant failed to exercise the degree of skill, care, and diligence in treating plaintiff that is ordinarily exercised by dentists. As the direct and proximate result of such failure, plaintiff was damaged and injured.

It is my opinion that defendant practiced below the standard of care in the following ways:
• In failing to diagnose plaintiff’s jaw fracture;
• In proceeding to take an impression of the tooth area and fit a alveolar prosthesis in such area, thereby applying forces to the fractured mandible and the fracture segments; and
• In failing to refer plaintiff for treatment of her jaw fracture.

It is my further professional opinion, to a reasonable degree of dental and medical certainty, that defendant’s failure to exercise the appropriate degree of care, skill and diligence proximately resulted in injuries and conditions for which plaintiff required subsequent treatment, and further, that such injuries and conditions and the need for further treatment could have been prevented, or lessened, to a reasonable degree of dental and medical certainty, had defendant exercised the appropriate and required degree of care.

The expert has been a dentist for 30 years and has experience diagnosing and treating patients with fractured jaws.