in 2007 my general dentist told me i had peridontal disease. he said bone grafts didnt work so he would do a deep cleaning. he never told me...

Question

in 2007 my general dentist told me i had peridontal disease. he said bone grafts didnt work so he would do a deep cleaning. he never told me how serious the problem was or that it required lifetime treatments, but more importantly he never said i should see a specialist. over the last 4 yrs. i've been trying to find someone on my own to treat was has now become a "health" threatening issue. isnt my first dentist liable for not telling me all the facts or sending me to someone who knew more about this problem?

Answer

Dental Malpractice statute of limitations is two and one-half years, with certain exceptions that may toll the statute under well defined circumstances.

Otherwise, your question is more related to dentistry than law. You require the report of a specialist, in the first instance, to delineate any wrongdoing on the part of your dentist in misinforming you or failing to have you visit a specialist, under reasonable standard of care in the industry, and how his commission or omission was the proximate result or a contributing factor to your present condition by a preponderance of the evidence.

Answer

You seem to feel your general dentist misdiagnosed a condition requiring specialized treatment. You don't say whether you have continuously treated with this dentist since 2007.

If not, the 2 and one-half year time limit in which you could have started a malpractice case(statute of limitations) may have already expired. You should consult with an attorney. Best, ME Zuller