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Selected Investigations Completed April - September 1999 > Part I, Case no. E.544/98-99
Complaint against: Mr G Capon: a general dental practitioner in the Southampton and South West Hampshire Health Authority area
Summary of case
Between 1991 and 1997, the general dental practitioner, Mr Capon, treated Mrs A for problems with her gums and teeth. Mrs A then consulted another dentist, who told her that two of her teeth were suffering from decay and that her gums were in poor condition. Mrs A complained that Mr Capon failed adequately to assess and treat her tooth decay and gum disease. The Ombudsman's investigation could cover only the treatment provided from April 1996.
Findings
Having taken clinical advice, the Ombudsman upheld the complaint. Mrs A's teeth were in a poor condition when she first consulted Mr Capon, but if possible she wanted to keep them rather than have them extracted. Mr Capon said he had provided regular treatment including thorough scaling and polishing and oral hygiene instruction. He also said that Mrs A's condition had deteriorated during a break in treatment between 1996 and 1997. However, there were no details in Mr Capon's records of him monitoring Mrs A's gum condition. The untreated decay in some of her teeth found by the second dentist would undoubtedly have been present when she was last examined by Mr Capon, although his records contained no plan for its treatment. The Ombudsman agreed with the assessors' conclusion that Mr Capon had not adequately assessed and treated Mrs A's tooth decay and gum disease.
Remedy
The Ombudsman recommended that Mr Capon considered ways of improving his understanding of current practice in the treatment of periodontal (gum) disease. Mr Capon did not agree to act on that recommendation and did not accept the Ombudsman's invitation to apologise to Mrs A.
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