Misdiagnosis or late diagnosis
Failure to identify oral cancer, periodontal disease or advancing decay until avoidable harm has been done.
A trusted UK resource for patients
Understanding your rights when dental care falls short.
Independent, plain-English guidance for patients who believe something has gone wrong with their dental treatment — and a calm first step toward understanding whether you may have a claim.
Start a confidential assessment
Confidential · No obligation · Takes under 60 seconds
"I finally understood what had actually gone wrong with my treatment — before I spoke to a single solicitor."
Referenced by patients and practitioners
The Law SocietyAPILLexcelChambers & PartnersThe Legal 500
Common situations
When dental care falls below the standard.
Not every disappointing outcome is negligence. These are the situations we most often hear about from patients.
Nerve injury after treatment
Persistent numbness, altered taste or chronic pain following extractions, root canal work or implants.
Failed implants and restorations
Poorly planned or badly placed implants, bridges and crowns causing infection or mechanical failure.
Cosmetic and orthodontic errors
Veneers, whitening or aligner work carried out without proper planning, consent or clinical justification.
What the law requires
What actually counts as dental negligence?
Legally, negligence is not the same as an outcome you are unhappy with. It is a breach of the duty of care owed by a clinician, where the treatment provided fell below the standard of a reasonably competent dentist.
For a claim to succeed, we must show causation — that the specific error directly caused harm that would not otherwise have occurred. This is the Bolam / Bolitho test applied to dental care.
01 — Breach of duty
Did the care fall below what a competent dentist would have provided in the same circumstances?
02 — Causation
Was your injury a direct result of that failure, and not an inherent risk of the treatment itself?
Treatments we cover
Guidance written for the treatment you actually had.
How the process works
A transparent path from concern to resolution.
Most patients are surprised by how methodical the process is. Nothing happens without your instruction, and at each stage you'll know exactly what's being done and why.
I
The confidential assessment
A quiet conversation to understand what happened. No paperwork, no commitment — just an honest view of whether your situation may be worth investigating.
II
Records and clinical evidence
Your full dental notes, x-rays and referral letters are requested under UK data-protection law and mapped against the treatment you actually received.
III
Independent expert review
A dental specialist — with no connection to the practitioner concerned — reviews the care against the standard reasonably expected of a competent dentist.
IV
Valuation and resolution
Compensation is valued against injury, remedial treatment and long-term impact. Most claims settle without a court hearing; specialist counsel is instructed when needed.
A short, private check
Three simple questions. No commitment, no legal jargon — an honest first view of whether your situation may be worth investigating.
Knowledge centre
Reading for patients and their families.
A short, private check
Three simple questions. No commitment, no legal jargon — an honest first view of whether your situation may be worth investigating.