A dental professional has a duty to provide a reasonable standard of care to their patients. Failure to uphold this standard, leading to a missed or delayed diagnosis of a dental problem, may amount to dental negligence. If the negligence results in pain, suffering, or further dental problems, the patient may have grounds to file a dental malpractice lawsuit.
Dental malpractice cases involving missed or delayed diagnoses can be complex and challenging to prove. The plaintiff must demonstrate that the dentist breached their duty of care by failing to adhere to accepted dental standards and that this breach directly caused the patient's injuries. Expert testimony from other dentists is often necessary to establish the applicable standard of care and to demonstrate that the defendant dentist deviated from that standard.