Dentist says sorry after pulling wrong tooth

Published on 25/06/2010 10:28

A DENTIST has apologised after removing the wrong tooth of a woman who came to the surgery in agony.

Mother-of-four Leah King attended the west Edinburgh surgery after "climbing the walls" with toothache.

She knew which was the offending tooth, but emerged from the practice in October last year realising the dentist had taken out the one next to it.

The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman has upheld the 27-year-old's complaint, ordering the dentist to apologise and improve his record keeping.

Ms King, from Wester Hailes, told the Evening News: "I knew when I ran my tongue along the teeth after it that he'd taken the wrong one.

"Then when the anaesthetic wore off the pain came straight back. Before it I could actually see the tooth and the hole in it that was causing me pain.

"But when I confronted the dentist about it he offered to take it out too, but denied he'd done anything wrong."

It was at this stage she took the complaint forward, and following this week's ruling she is contemplating legal action.

"I do feel a bit bad about it because he's a nice guy," she added. "But then it was a bad mistake. You put all your trust in dentists and don't expect them to make mistakes like that."