Annette Derby, 39, suffered from severe dental issues following inadequate care at Warrington Smile Clinic, owned by Smile Clinic UK. Her ordeal began in December 2016, when she sought treatment for pain in a lower left tooth. Despite numerous appointments over several years, Annette continued to experience debilitating pain and complications, including an abscess, swelling, and the eventual loss of two teeth.
In November 2017, Annette underwent a root canal, but the crown was improperly fitted, leaving her in ongoing pain. By March 2018, it was revealed that she had decay not only in the original tooth but in four others as well. Multiple treatments, including fillings and additional root canals, failed to alleviate her discomfort. One crown even fell out and was unsuccessfully refitted.
Her suffering escalated in February 2019 with intense throbbing pain and swelling in an upper left tooth, leading to sleepless nights and difficulty eating. Although Annette repeatedly requested a hospital referral, she received no response. The clinic eventually initiated a root canal in June, but a week later, an abscess formed. It ruptured, causing foul-smelling yellow pus to ooze from her gum and her face to swell, further prolonging her agony.
Despite undergoing treatment until September 2019, Annette’s dental issues persisted, spoiling two holidays and leaving her in constant pain. After another tooth broke, she lost trust in the clinic and sought help from a private dentist, who diagnosed untreated decay and extracted one of her teeth. A second extraction followed due to untreated decay.
Frustrated with the inadequate care, Annette reached out to the Dental Law Partnership in 2021. An analysis revealed significant failings in her treatment, including a failure to diagnose and properly treat decay, which resulted in the loss of two teeth and ongoing dental complications.
“Six years later, I’m still undergoing treatment and will likely lose more teeth,” Annette lamented. “I wish I had never gone to them in the first place and continued with private treatment.”
Nicholas Hampson from the Dental Law Partnership described Annette’s experience as “completely unnecessary,” stating, “If the clinic had provided adequate care, her suffering could have been avoided.”
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