To The Below Parties
I am writing this letter to inform you of my plight to receive my right to obtain my dental records and legal representation in a dental malpractice suit. I have been trying to get help from the Dental Board, but have been with the opinion that protection of dentists is more important than justice for patients who have been harmed through dental malpractice.
Dr. X, Absolute Dental, placed six posts, three on each side of my mouth, to hold a clip-on upper denture. One post on each side did not take, but the Dr. assured me that four posts were efficient. That was done in July, 2014.
The outer post on the left side broke and had to be repaired – Novocain and pain. The outer post on the right side broke and had to be repaired. This was so painful that tears were running down my face.
Dr. X said that with the first breakage that I must have bitten down on something hard (no) and that with the second breakage that it must be the way I chewed. The post on the left side broke again and I couldn’t face the stress and pain to have it repaired, especially knowing that this was
the third broken post and no guarantee that it wouldn’t happen again. Even the
denture broke.
My biggest mistake was to totally trust Dr. X when the dentist’s biggest goal was not concern for me, the patient, but for money.
On July 22, 2021, I consulted Clear Choice Dental hoping they could replace the two posts that did not take and solve my problem. However, their examination showed that the implants were incorrectly placed, not parallel, and would continue to break. An estimate of $40,000 was given to repair the damage and allow me to return to a clip-on denture.
I returned to Absolute Dental, Cheyenne office, with the hope they could correct the situation with little or no cost to me, as I had paid them thousands of dollars for the dental work. Dr. X was no longer at that office, and the dentist on duty was shocked when I informed him that the dental work was done in that office. He asked me to come in for a consultation.
At the finish of the consultation and review of my x-rays, I was rudely told that “When you come in with a mouth like yours, there is nothing I can do!” When I reminded him it was done in this office, he walked out. Absolute Dental actually charged me $136.00 for a consultation the dentist ordered. I refuse to pay them to tell me that the malpractice job done was my problem.
I consulted another dental office, Lasting Smiles, Dr. Z, who explained how he could construct a clip-on denture using a metal plate. I paid $10,000.00 to get this done. I have been working with Great Smiles dentists since October. I brought a written request to Absolute Dental to give my records to Dr. Z and/or to me, the patient. They refused, informing me that I needed a lawyer to get my records. If I interrupt the law correctly, I have a right to my dental records. I have tried to get an attorney to take my case without success.
At Lasting Smiles, the broken post had to be fixed. However, when the gum was opened, I detected a terrible odor. Another dentist was called in to see what was happening. The post was not completely implanted in the bone and the odor was coming from infection. Both dentists agreed the post had to be removed. Dr. X says a clip-on denture could still be done.
I contacted the Dental Board and it took two months to get a reply and was told that since it had been over five years since the malpractice nothing could be done. However, it had been less than a year since I had been informed by Clear Choice and later, Absolute Dental, that the treatment had been totally wrong.
I wrote to the Dental Board again in February and have not received a reply. At this point, I am sure I will not receive a reply or any backing for my case, as it seems the main consideration is to protect dentists and dental malpractice.
Thank you for reading this letter. I am sure I am not the first, or last, person whose malpractice suit didn’t come to fruition because the rights of the patient are not important.
CC: The Vegas Voice
Absolute Dental Corporate Office
Nevada State Board of Dental Examiners
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Mayor Carolyn Goodman, Las Vegas
Governor Stephen Sisolak
Nevada Legislature
Legislative Council Bureau
State Bar of Nevada
BBB of Southern Nevada