INADEQUATE DENTAL CARE TO PRISONERS

CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT UPDATE

Updating my July 11, 2014 Blog, we are still actively litigating a class-action case in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, [Johannes v. Washington], advocating constitutionally inadequate dental care to prisoners in the custody of the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDC).  We represent prisoners as plaintiffs seeking to form a class of prisoners receiving constitutionally inadequate dental care.  The claims are against the MDC, plus individual offending prison dentists mistreating prisoners’ dental needs, causing deteriorated general health and untimely loss of natural teeth.  MDC continuously files court documents seeking dismissal, citing numerous technical and malpractice law defenses.  After many motions MDC has failed in its endeavor and the case is still proceeding through the federal court system, hopefully to an equitable conclusion providing prisoners reasonable dental care to prevent unnecessary premature teeth loss.

Patients receiving regular dental care should not lose teeth!  With regular care, if teeth are lost prematurely, possible negligence of the dentist should be investigated.  Substandard examinations, inadequate dental charts and x-rays, or lack of reasonable treatment or health information communicated to the patient is often revealed.  Negligence can be mistreating during restorative dentistry, extractions, periodontal (gum treatment), orthodontics (braces treatment), or endodontics (root canal treatment).  Substandard dentistry also includes failure to suspect or inform patient of advancing oral diseases such as oral cancer, jaw cysts, nerve injuries, decay under crowns, or braces causing teeth loss or gum injuries.  If you suspect you are a victim from one of these dental mishaps, contact us for a free consultation.