Watford woman receives £22,000 after dentist sliced left cheek

Kayley McEwan from Watford was awarded the five-figure sum after Dr Olusanya at Blue Cross Dental Care slipped during a procedure cutting her cheek and leaving her in need of stitches. 

Kayley, who works as an appraisals assistant, was referred to Dr Olusanya in September 2013 by another dentist for the extraction of two wisdom teeth after repeated inflammation. 

She said: “I didn’t have any initial concerns about Dr Olusanya. I’d been referred there so had no reason to worry.”

During the operation, however, the dentist slipped while trying to remove the tooth with a pair of pliers slicing the inside of her left cheek. 

“It was just awful,” Kayley recalled, “It took Dr Olusanya so long to extract that one tooth that I was in the chair for over an hour. 

“The anaesthetic had to be topped up twice because it took so long. As soon as I left I was immediately sick and was still bleeding from my cheek.”

The panoramic x-ray film shows the low lying wisdom tooth on the lower left side before extraction, the tooth is intimately associated with the client’s inferior dental nerve on that side

Kayley went back to see Dr Olusanya on two occasions within days of one another complaining of “severe pain and swelling”. At the second meeting Kayley reported to the dentist she could not feel her lower left lip, teeth or chin after the extraction. Dr Olusanya then referred Kayley to hospital for further treatment.

Kayley said: “I feel traumatised by what has happened. Not only did I feel immediately unwell following the extraction, but I even experienced really bad earache and headaches for a few weeks after. 

“I’ve now also got permanent nerve damage across the left side of my mouth, from my front lip all the way to the back of my jaw.”

Kayley approached the Dental Law Partnership for advice where an analysis of her dental records revealed Dr Olusanya had not carried out the tooth extraction with “due care and attention” resulting in Kayley needing four stiches on the inside of her cheek and living with permanent numbness to the left side of her mouth. 

Kayley

She added: “It’s just upsetting to know that it could have all been avoided. I’ve now got to live with the consequences of someone else’s mistake. 

“Not only am I numb on the left side but because of that I feel self-conscious when I talk in case I end up dribbling without realising. I have to hold my hand up in front of my mouth when I talk to people now.”

In April this year, Kayley received £22,000 in an out of court settlement. The dentist did not admit liability. 

Dr Olusanya said: “While I do not agree with the facts as portrayed by The Dental Law Partnership, I am limited in what I can say due to patient confidentiality. 

“I would like to assure my patients that I always aim to provide the best service at all times.” 

Christine Salter of The Dental Law Partnership said: “The trauma and pain our client experienced was completely unnecessary. 

“If the dentist had carried out the treatment with due care in the first place, all of her problems could have been avoided. 

“We hope the compensation she receives goes some way towards paying for any additional treatment that is required.”