Parner
Dental prescription errors are more common than most patients realize, especially among general dentists. These mistakes, though unintentional, can lead to serious health consequences for patients in which case they constitute dental malpractice. If you have suffered harm because of a general dentist’s prescription error in New York, it’s time to contact Lance Ehrenberg, Esq. who has been successfully winning compensation for victims of dental malpractice for more than 30 years.
Why General Dentists’ Prescription Errors Are Not Uncommon
There are several reasons such errors are too frequent, including:
- High Patient Volume: Many general dentists handle a large volume of patients daily. This can lead to rushed decisions, lack of focus, and failure to double-check.
- Complex Medical Histories: Patients with pre-existing conditions can be at increased risk of receiving incorrect prescriptions, particularly if the dentist does not take or review the patient’s medical history with sufficient care.
- Similar Drug Names: Many medications have similar names, which makes them more likely to be confused with one another. At times, they may even have a similar appearance. General dentists,s who prescribe less frequently than dental specialists, may be more apt to confuse one with another, possibly with dire consequences.
- Handwriting and Transcription Errors: Illegible handwriting or miscommunication during transcription can result in the wrong medication being dispensed by the pharmacist.
- Lack of Specialized Knowledge: General dentists are also less likely to have in-depth knowledge about certain medications which may lead to prescribing an inappropriate medication for the specific patient’s symptoms.
Types of Prescription Errors and the Harm They Cause
General dentists may make various types of prescription errors, each with potentially dangerous repercussions. Understanding these possible errors can help make patients more vigilant about the inherent risks of:
- Medication mix-ups due to similar drug names may make an otherwise perfectly healthy dental patient breathless, hypertensive, or confused. Even worse reactions may occur in patients with pre-existing conditions.
- Incorrect dosages can lead to overdoses that may result in organ damage or loss of consciousness or in doses too low to be effective in relieving pain or treating infection.
- Allergic reactions can be severe if the general dentist unwittingly prescribes a medication to which their patient is allergic. One unnoticed ingredient may cause an allergic reaction ranging from hives to anaphylaxis.
- Drug interactions can be serious or even fatal which is why every general dentist must have a full listing of each patient’s regular medications and must be responsible for paying careful attention to that list before prescribing.
When Prescription Errors Constitute Malpractice
When prescription errors are caused by negligent behavior no reasonable general dentist would engage in, violating accepted standards of care, they may be considered a form of malpractice. This is where the expertise of a dental malpractice attorney becomes crucial.
Once you become Lance Ehrenberg’s client, you will have the benefit of his well-honed negotiation and litigation skills as well as his stockpile of legal knowledge. He knows precisely how to:
- Identify negligence and demonstrate how your general dentist’s actions deviated from standard dental practices.
- Gather compelling evidence to win your case, including medical records, witness accounts, and expert testimony
- Calculate compensatory damages to assess the full extent of your losses, including medical costs, pain and suffering, lost income, and all other related expenses
Harmed by a General Dentist’s Prescription Error? Contact Lance Ehrenberg, Esq. Now!
Over three decades of experience as a successful dental malpractice attorney has made Lance Ehrenberg not only an outstanding lawyer but a compassionate advocate. He will fight hard to protect your right to proper dental care and do everything in his power to recover the maximum compensation you are entitled to receive. Reach out to our team today.