Background/purpose: Malpractice claims place heavy economic and emotional burdens on both dentists and patients. Recently, medical malpractice lawsuits are decreasing in prevalence but increasing in severity. The percentage of dental malpractice payments is also growing among the health profession. The present study aimed to explore criminal convictions in dental malpractice litigation and to analyze the factors affecting the judgment in dental disputes in Taiwan.
Methods: The keywords "dentist," "professional negligence," "medical malpractice," and "professional liability" were used to search Taiwan's Law and Regulations Retrieving System for criminal dental malpractice cases in all district courts from January 1, 2000 to June 30, 2021. The eligible judgments were summarized and analyzed.
Results: Overall, 425 cases were identified, with 28 dental disputes included in the final analysis. The dentists lost in 10 cases (35.7%). The average claim time was 36.75 ± 16.34 months. Taipei and Taichung dealt with more lawsuit cases (n = 8). Local clinics were the most common institution of the defendants (75%) and had the highest number of convictions (n = 9). Implant dentistry was the most common specialty involved. Expert testimony of the Medical Review Committee (MRC) had a high K coefficient of agreement with court judgments regarding professional negligence (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: The overall criminal conviction rate was 35.7%. Implant therapy and local clinics had the highest rate of lawsuits and a considerably higher conviction rate. All guilty dentists were fined or given probation. The court judgments were highly consistent with the expert testimony of the MRC.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jfma.2021.09.023 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Polymeric Materials Used in 3DP in Dentistry-Biocompatibility Testing Challenges.
Polymers (Basel)
December 2024
Department of Professional Organization and Medical Legislation-Malpractice, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 17-23 Plevnei Street, 020021 Bucharest, Romania.
In the latter part of the 20th century, remarkable developments in new dental materials and technologies were achieved. However, regarding the impact of dental resin-based materials 3D-printed on cellular responses, there have been a limited number of published studies recently. The biocompatibility of dental restorative materials is a controversial topic, especially when discussing modern manufacturing technologies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExploring the Broad Spectrum of Titanium-Niobium Implants and Hydroxyapatite Coatings-A Review.
Materials (Basel)
December 2024
The Interdisciplinary Center for Dental Research and Development, Faculty of Dental Medicine, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 19-21 Jean Louis Calderon Street, 020021 Bucharest, Romania.
Tooth loss replacement using dental implants is becoming more frequent. Traditional dental implant materials such as commercially pure titanium and titanium aluminum vanadium alloys have well-proven mechanical and biological properties. New titanium alloying metals such as niobium provide improved mechanical properties such as lower elastic modulus while displaying comparable or even better biocompatibility.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProfessional liability in dentistry: structure and causes of judicial litigation.
J Forensic Odontostomatol
December 2024
Department of Advanced Biomedical Science-Legal Medicine Section, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy.
The great advances in diagnostic and therapeutic skills of most sectors of medicine and dentistry have led to an increasingly greater demand from patients for accuracy, attention and diligence by healthcare workers. Dentistry is one of the branches most frequently involved in claims for damages from malpractice, especially in those sectors that are particularly costly and of significant aesthetic value. Aim of the study was to compare data of malpractice claims with those of other Authors to identify similarities and/or differences in the results and to increase epidemiological knowledge in the area of dental malpractice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProfessional liability and litigation in dental medicine: an analysis of the Portuguese context.
J Forensic Odontostomatol
December 2024
Faculdade de Medicina Dentária da Universidade do Porto.
Article Synopsis
- Dentists are regulated by a Deontological Code that outlines their professional duties and obligations, which are essential in the legal relationship with patients concerning treatment agreements.
- The study aimed to analyze court decisions in Portugal relating to dentists and patient claims, focusing on various factors like patient demographics, type of liability, and outcome of the claims.
- A survey of judgments from multiple Portuguese Superior Courts was conducted, including a summary of the legal context and decisions that emerged regarding dental practice.
Medical malpractice court cases involving treatment of the temporomandibular joint: analysis of prevalence, risk factors, and court rulings.
Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol
October 2024
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
Article Synopsis
- Limited research has examined malpractice in dentistry, particularly related to temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs), which are treated by various dental specialists.
- A study reviewed malpractice court cases from 1960 to 2022, identifying 57 relevant cases that met specific criteria for inclusion.
- The results showed that 81% of cases were ruled in favor of the healthcare provider, often due to the expiration of the statute of limitations, indicating that healthcare actions were generally considered appropriate within the standard of care.
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!