Our claims helpline for people instructing us to represent them for their compensation claim as a former patient of disgraced dentist Mr Desmond D’Mello has been ringing off the hook all weekend. We’ve taken on a huge volume of claims and we have already sent off letters of claim for many of the clients so far.
As our clients continue to give us their valuable insight in to what it was like as a former patient of the man the media has dubbed as the ‘Dirty Dentist’ we’ve discovered that a lot of their experiences are similar across the board.
Rumours when D’Mello disappeared
No proper explanation was offered when D’Mello mysteriously disappeared from the Daybrook Dental Practice in June when he was struck off by the General Dental Council following evidence of ignoring important infection control procedures. Many patients were left in limbo as appointments were cancelled and postponed without reasons given.
There were rumours amongst the community that something was wrong – but the news has still come as a shock. Mr D’Mello has been described by most of our clients as a nice man ‘ one went as far as to say “you couldn’t have met a nicer person.” So when it was discovered that he had put as many as 22,000 patients at risk of serious infections like HIV and Hepatitis, the victims have been left horrified.
The difference between Daybrook then and now
Former patients of D’Mello who still use the Daybrook Practice have described a remarkable difference in the way they operate now. Dentist chairs are scrubbed down between patients; equipment is opened from sealed bags; staff are washing their hands; fresh gloves are being used.
People have noticed that these things had never been done before, but no one had considered the significance of it until now.
The evidence so far points only to D’Mello who was ignorant of important infection control procedures, but since the news has broken, people have noticed things that they had never picked up on before.
When we attend dentist and medical appointments, most of us just assume that everything is being done above board. Patients didn’t pick up on, or notice, that unsterilised equipment was being used, or that gloves were being reused. Patients put their faith in a man that was a pillar of their community, and no one ever thought that they were being put in danger.
People generally believe that hygiene is a standard thing to get right.
But now we know what D’Mello had been doing, people have noticed a significant difference in the way the Daybrook Surgery now operates; and its all things, like those mentioned above, that no one has ever really picked up on before.
And why would anyone have done unless something like this happened?
Legal Advice – NOW is the time to speak to us
We’re already representing a huge number of former patients of Mr D’Mello and we’ve notified the Defendants involved of the claims we have. We’ll be sending more letters soon – to get your name on the growing list of Claimants, call our specialist Daybrook Dental Team now on 0800 634 7575.
