Oral cancer: It’s your dentist’s job to find it
When people think of going to the dentist, they might think of having their teeth cleaned, root canal procedures, or getting crowns/dental implants. What some might not know is that it’s also a dentist’s job to identify oral cancer, even in its earliest stages. The consequences of failing to do so can be disastrous for a patient’s health.
As with all forms of cancer, treatment for oral cancer will be easiest and most effective if it is diagnosed at the earliest possible moment. According to The Oral Cancer Foundation, the reason why the death rate for oral cancer is so high is not that it is difficult to identify; it is because many cases of oral cancer have been discovered far too late for the patient to treat it successfully. There is no way to understate this issue’s importance. Dentists who are careless about identifying oral cancer are gambling with their patients’ lives.
Historically, the compensations patients have received for misdiagnosed oral cancer have been appropriately huge. One woman was awarded $15 million for a misdiagnosed lesion that progressed into stage IV oral cancer. If you have suffered from a case of misdiagnosed oral cancer, you may be entitled to sue your dentist for compensation.
Dane Levy is a dental malpractice attorney who has experience winning high-profile oral cancer dental malpractice cases that have resulted in million-dollar settlements. If you need a dental malpractice attorney California, contact the Levy Law Firm today.