Dental patient abandonment: A form of dental malpractice

Blog submitted by Dane Levy, Attorney of Dentalmal.com, a provider of legal services for those injured by dental malpractice in California

The complications brought by the COVID-19 pandemic have been challenging for healthcare providers all over the world and their patients. This even applies to medical professionals such as dentists, who have been unable to provide non-urgent checkups and appointments. Though our current situation has made it more difficult for dentists and their patients to communicate, dentists still have an obligation to make sure their patients are aware of their treatment options and are referred to the right type of treatments for their dental ailments. If a dentist is not available for an over-long period of time when a patient needs their help, they could be liable for patient abandonment, a form of medical malpractice.

Patient abandonment happens when a medical professional ends a doctor-patient relationship when a patient still needs care. It can be as simple as failing to answer a patient’s urgent question or postponing an appointment for too long, resulting in a patient’s condition worsening. To prove patient abandonment, a victim must prove that their dentist did terminate their doctor-patient relationship and that their dentist did not let them know about the relationship’s termination and did not provide them with any alternatives for treatment.

In this day and age, it is crucial for dental offices to reach out to their patients and let them know how to seek treatment during this pandemic and to always be available to answer any questions their patients may have. This is the best way to avoid allegations of patient abandonment.

If you are a victim of dental patient abandonment or any other form of dental malpractice and you need an OC dental malpractice lawyer, contact Attorney Dane Levy at the Levy Law Firm. His many years of experience and track record of success will help you get the compensation you deserve.

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