Medical malpractice cases involving dentistry are complex and can involve experts from a variety of medical and dental specialties. A dental expert witness is skilled in oral health, which includes teeth, gums and muscles that are in the head, neck, jaw and tongue.

Errors that occur during maxillofacial surgeries, complications from dental implant failures, and other problems with dental procedures can cause significant discomfort, injury, and even death. In addition to these complications, dental court cases can also involve issues such as unforeseen side effects, improper consent, and local and general anesthesia problems. As a result, a dental expert witness often encompass a wide range of specialties and backgrounds, including dentists, maxillofacial surgeons, pathologists, and other specialists in head and neck surgery.

How Dental/Dentistry Expert Witnesses Can Help Your Legal Case

Expert witnesses aid the courts in claims that require particular expertise. We work with law firms seeking expert testimony in dental-related legal cases.

 Testimonies from highly qualified and skilled expert witnesses make a tremendous difference in solidifying the foundations of your claims. Dental expert witnesses examine the details of your case, explain technical and medical terms, and supply information the court needs to make a decision.

Why Use Dental Expert Witnesses?

 Evidence presented by an expert witness is often held in high regard when the final decision is made.

 The role of the dental expert in litigation is usually to provide clinical examinations and reports for all types of cases involving trauma, injuries, negligence, or other dental-related issues. Dental expert witnesses may form expert opinions, draft expert reports, and provide expert witness testimonies at deposition and trial, depending on your unique case.

How to Find Dental Expert Witnesses You Can Trust

 

If you’re working on a dentistry malpractice case, we can help. Dental expert witnesses with experience and professional knowledge in oral health can be a huge factor in the final outcome. Expert witnesses include professionals with an advanced background in the teeth, gums, head muscles, neck, jaw, and tongue.

 

Reliable Clinical Experts will connect you with Expert Witness Services. We have a network of dental expert witnesses available nationwide and ready to consult your dental court cases. In addition, you can call expert dental witnesses to assist with claims associated with maxillofacial surgeries, unforeseen side effects, improper consent, anesthesia difficulties, or general complications with dental procedures.

Why Work With Reliable Experts?

 Law firms seeking expert medical witnesses on a dental procedure or treatment will receive a shortlist of top medical experts to contact. We have a solution-focused rapid turnaround model for understanding your specific needs. For each expert, we include justification for their expertise and contact information.

 We work with attorneys representing dentists, physicians, patients, and insurance companies involved in a dental court case. Our experts have in-depth knowledge on all matters involving dental malpractice. Work with an expert to create a report with meticulous attention to detail written in straightforward, easy-to-understand language. In addition, we have expert witnesses in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands who know the local healthcare systems.

More, we understand that no two court causes are alike. Therefore, our dental expert consultation services are customized to meet the needs of your unique situation. We’re happy to provide an explanatory phone call, write a letter, or offer a complex dental expert witness testimony during a civil or criminal trial.

Reliable Clinical Experts has a comprehensive network of dental expert witnesses that are available nationwide and ready to consult your case.

Requests for expert witness services may be made by other dentists or physicians, patients, insurance companies, or attorneys. Our dental consultation services are tailored to meet the specific needs of each situation and range from an explanatory phone call or letter all the way to providing complex dental expert witness testimony in a civil or criminal trial. For more information or schedule a medical malpractice consultation, give us a call at (855) 963-3625.

 

Understanding an Expert Witness in Dental Malpractice Cases

The Level of Proof

Negligence is difficult to prove in a medical environment in and of itself. Dental injuries that occur typically include either breach of contract or negligence. With negligence, a medical expert witness can help establish why there was negligence as well as educate a jury or judge as to what negligence in a dental environment entails.

High Standard

To prove negligence, a plaintiff must establish that the dentist or staff were remiss in care, took actions that were reckless, or used equipment and/or processes that were outdated or not up to the standards of the dental industry. Any of those are difficult to prove without a medical expert witness because much of it is subjective unless the negligence approaches an extreme level. A specific process a dentist uses, for example, may not be the “latest and greatest,” but may be a process that was the industry standard for decades, while new processes may still be in the untested stage as they apply to mass application.

The Role of Education

This makes the education of a judge or jury critical in dental malpractice cases. Because oral surgery is different than regular, medical surgery, a jury may need to be educated in the surgical process, as well as have what negligence entails mapped out for them. A medical witness will be able to explain dental equipment, processes, standard of care and quality, and much more, which helps show that negligence occurred, especially with an audience that is not familiar with a lot of what dentistry includes.

Education also covers aspects of dental work that are different than what an expert witness in surgery would describe. The removal of wisdom teeth, for example, is very different in scope and intent than surgery to fix a clogged artery or even to remove a tumor. The possible complications are different as well.

With a wisdom tooth extraction, there are accepted risks, like infection setting in, that depend on actions of both the dentist and patient to control. At the same time, wisdom teeth extraction can be extremely problematic with some people, so what may appear as negligence because of patient discomfort is actually within the scope of what is expected after oral surgery.

The Impact

Dentistry as a profession is exceedingly unique. The upside to that is that most dentists really care about oral health. The downside to that is that not too many of us are knowledgeable in dental processes.

That is where an expert comes in. They can provide education and perspective that lends credibility to a plaintiff’s assertion. They also can accurately explain, in terms everyone can understand, the pain and suffering that was caused by the negligence and why–legally and practically–what happened should be regarded as negligence.

If you are asking yourself, “Do I need an expert witness?” and you are suing a dentist or clinic for malpractice, the answer to that is “Probably.” This is because dentistry is complex and a court audience will not be up on much that is dental related. If you are in need of a medical expert witness, check out Reliable Clinical Experts.