Pendle postman awarded compensation over dental failings thanks to Dental Law Partnership

Mr Clifford Shaw (65) was a patient at My Dentist Barnoldswick, Park Avenue, Barnoldswick, between 2007 and 2010 and MyDentist, Harrison Street, Barnoldswick, from 2010 onwards, both owned and operated by Whitecross Dental Care Limited.

He won his case with the help of specialist dental negligence solicitors the Dental Law Partnership.

“For many years I had multiple dentists at the practice, as practitioners kept leaving year after year,” Mr Shaw recalled. “During these years I was losing a lot of teeth, but no reason was given. It wasn’t picked up by the dentists as I kept having new people checking my teeth.”

“The dentists would just fill my teeth, and then when that didn’t work to ease the pain, they’d pull them out. One time a dentist even filled a tooth when it was cracked,” Mr Shaw explained. “They never gave a reason why they extracted the teeth, they just said there was nothing else they could do about it. Only one time did a dentist try to save a tooth. I knew something wasn’t right but didn’t know where to turn.

“After years of this pain and discomfort, I have lost teeth, and will still lose more. There were gaps in my teeth even right at the front of my mouth. This made me look like a haggard old man, and it was also difficult to eat with so many holes in my mouth where food would get trapped.”

Frustrated with the experiences he had gone through, Mr Shaw contacted the Dental Law Partnership in 2022. Further analysis of his records revealed the extent of the poor dental treatment Mr Shaw received from the treating dentists at MyDentist, including the extent of his gum disease, as it had progressed untreated, and the dentists failed to diagnose decay on multiple teeth.

This all contributed to the loss of teeth and the likely loss of more teeth in the future.

“I now have dentures, including my two front teeth. It makes me feel dead old. It’s embarrassing, and costly.

“It’s frustrating that I wasn’t communicated with by the dentists about what their plan was. I had so many different dentists and opinions, and ultimately it led to inadequate treatment,” Mr Shaw explained.

“I’m still going through extensive restorative treatment now. Despite the dentures, the condition of my teeth are still really bad. I’m just still trying to hold on to the teeth that I’ve got, but I know more tooth loss will continue.”

Tim Armitage of the Dental Law Partnership commented: “The distress and pain our client has experienced was completely unnecessary. If the treating dentists involved had provided more satisfactory treatment, his problems could have been avoided.”

The Dental Law Partnership took on Mr Shaw’s case in 2022. The case was successfully settled in June 2024 when Mr Shaw was paid £11,800 in an out of court settlement by the treating dentists. Dr Joanna Grabowska, Dr Bogdan Banica, Dr Muhammed Zakaria Muazzamali Essa, Dr Eva Sdlarova and Dr Mumeeb Hussain Chowdury did not admit liability.