A Canadian man filed a lawsuit against a dentist who treated 22 of his teeth in a single session while the patient was under anesthesia for eight hours and did not consent to the procedures. Reports from CTV News detailed the case and the serious questions it raised about consent, patient safety, and professional ethics in dental care.
In another troubling incident, a Canadian dentist was suspended from practice and ordered to pay nearly a million rubles in compensation to a patient for dental work performed without the patient’s knowledge. The patient, a woman, visited the clinic to replace fillings on three teeth and agreed to have the process carried out under general anesthesia. During the procedure, the dentist increased the anesthesia dose and proceeded to treat 22 teeth. The eight-hour manipulation left the patient in shock when she regained consciousness, astonished by the unilateral decisions made by the dentist and the absence of timely information about what was being done.
During the subsequent hearing, the court determined that the dentist had violated professional ethics and had caused deliberate harm to the patient. The judge ordered financial compensation to the victim, underscoring the legal and ethical commitments that guide dental practice in both Canada and internationally. This case serves as a stark reminder of the primacy of patient consent, clear communication, and cautious use of anesthesia in dental procedures, as well as the penalties that can follow when those standards are not met.
Earlier coverage noted a separate, long-standing concern when a Russian patient required surgery due to a dental error that occurred years prior, illustrating that concerns about dental malpractice and patient safety cross international borders and audiences. For readers in North America, the underlying themes remain relevant: informed consent, patient autonomy, transparency in the treatment plan, and rigorous adherence to medical and dental ethics to protect patients from overtesting, overtreatment, or procedure details that are not openly discussed beforehand. These stories collectively emphasize that dental care should be grounded in trust, professional accountability, and respect for each patient’s right to understand and agree to every aspect of their treatment. (Source: CTV News)