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"Need URGENT help!"

About: Ipswich Community Dental Clinic

(as the patient),

I rang up the Ipswich Community Dental Clinic with the intent of obtaining a voucher so I could have my wisdom tooth extracted as it was causing me great grief. The clinic denied the voucher to me but booked an appointment instead for inside the clinic with a dentist there. I arrived with my x-ray which I had previously had done in regards to this tooth and the x-ray shows that it is very close to the nerve trunk and the roots are curved. The dentist assured me they would easily and promptly be able to extract it and relieve the grief it was causing me.... This didn't happen. The dentist was chipping bit by bit away from the tooth (while I could feel all the pain) until there was half a tooth left and they told me they aren't capable of extracting the tooth. There was no evaluation prior to the attempted extraction of the level of difficulty expected with the wisdom tooth. The initial discomfort that was being experienced by this tooth before my appointment was giving me great grief, however now I am experiencing extreme pain 24/7 with the pain affecting my jaw, cheeks, neck, throat and even my ears. I spoke to the manager over the phone today (two days after I'd left the dental clinic) and explained how I can't wait until the next appointment I'd been given because I can't cope with the pain. The pain that I shouldn't have to be dealing with in the first place that has sky rocketed since the dentist chipped away bit by bit then decided to leave half of it there and call it a day. I was seen again by another dentist at the clinic today, after I'd rung up and said I urgently need assistance with the tooth. Unfortunately the dentist advised me that she wasn't confident enough to be able to extract. Even though she informed me she couldn't, she was very warm and friendly and even gave me a mouth wash to help prevent bacteria around the tooth. I appreciated her honesty and the fact that she didn't go ahead with something she would start but not finish; like the previous dentist. I was informed by a woman who came to the room to talk about my options as I requested (I'm not exactly sure who she was). She advised me that I had to go on the waiting list for surgical extractions and that I could be waiting up to two years, even though she said she agreed with the fact it has to be removed ASAP. I felt she was quite passive aggressive in relation to answering questions about the matter. After expressing extensively the great concern and pain I have and the fact I can't sleep or eat because of this, she responded by suggesting that while I wait on the long waiting list I should change my diet and reduce intake of soft drink and cordial as a remedy. So instead of my matter being treated as urgent and potentially detrimental to my health, I believe she treated me and my health like it doesn't matter. When I'd shared my concern about my state worsening and having up to two years to wait I believe she simply said that I can fork out money and pay for a private dentist. I can't afford that as my mental health condition prevents me from working and this whole ordeal has impacted my mental state a lot. I'm disappointed with the management of my situation and the outcome of this dissatisfying, painful experience! I'm still in severe pain, I'm starving and I probably won't be sleeping again tonight. I've seen a doctor about this and they recommended the tooth be extracted immediately. Everyday the agony and symptoms become more painful.

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Responses

Response from Sandy Lewis, Senior Consumer Liaison Officer, Clinical Governance, Queensland Health - West Moreton 7 years ago
Sandy Lewis
Senior Consumer Liaison Officer, Clinical Governance,
Queensland Health - West Moreton
Submitted on 14/03/2017 at 12:58 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 1:09 PM


Dear Swazlazer

We want you to know that your health does matter to us and we are really sorry your experience was so disappointing.

We encourage you to contact us so we can look into your concerns and offer assistance. The Consumer Liaison Service can be contacted on 0409275503 or email at WMH_CLO@health.qld.gov.au. Please be assured this offer of assistance is genuine and we would welcome your call.

At West Moreton we aim to provide the best patient care possible and we are committed to ongoing service delivery improvements. We very much welcome consumer feedback because it helps us to recognise the things we do well and identify where we need to do better. Thank you for taking the time to share your story and we hope to hear from you in the near future.

Kind regards

Consumer Liaison Office

West Moreton Hospital and Health Service

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