Dentist pulls out wrong tooth,to pay Rs 50,000

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed a city-based dentist to pay Rs 50,000 as compensation to a patient for wrongful extraction of a tooth.

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed a city-based dentist to pay Rs 50,000 as compensation to a patient for wrongful extraction of a tooth. The forum stated that the dentist extracted a healthy tooth instead of the infected one.

The complainant Poonam Devi,a resident of Sector 19,had visited Dr Ashima Kohli,a private practitioner in Sector 30,in June 2009. She complained of severe pain in her lower left jaw. Dr Kohli diagnosed that the seventh tooth of her left lower jaw was carious resulting in pain. She prescribed medicines for 3 days and advised her to visit the clinic on June 18. During her visit Poonam informed Dr Kohli that it was her sixth tooth that was found infected by a doctor at the Government Dispensary,Sector 3. Dr Kohli assured that she would take note of it at the time of extraction.

The complaint to the forum states that Dr Kohli extracted the tooth. However,after the pain continued it was discovered that the wrong tooth had been extracted. The complainant stated that when Dr Kohli was confronted she started abusing her and her husband. Following this a complaint was filed with the police. Poonam Devi was taken to Government Multi-Speciality Hospital,Sector 16,for a check up.

The doctor in her reply stated that the patient was given an option of getting root canal treatment done. But she insisted on an extraction. Dr Kohli claimed that she had extracted the correct tooth.

On receipt of the complaint the matter was referred to PGI. After examining the complaint,the medical board constituted by the PGI opined that first molar (sixth tooth) was asymptomatic but indicated for extraction. The report of the medical board of PGI confirmed the case of the complainant.

The forum concluded that the wrong tooth had been extracted. The doctor was directed to pay Rs 2,200 spent by the complainant on her treatment because of wrong extraction of the tooth. Dr Kohli was further directed to pay a sum of Rs 50,000 to the complainant as compensation for mental agony and harassment besides Rs 5,000 as cost of litigation.

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