My 30 years of agony thanks to bungling dentist
IF YOU are dreading that sixmonthly visit to a dentist, spare a thought for Timothy Schofield.
After suffering from toothache in March 1986, the community support worker booked what he hoped would be a routine appointment at his local surgery.
But it became the start of three decades of hell involving 294 appointments, more than 120 fillings – including 29 in one tooth alone – 16 extractions and 13 root canal and bridge treatments.
The ordeal cost him an estimated £30,000. Mr Schofield, who has been left with only four upper and six lower teeth, has received an out-of-court settlement of £77,000 from dentist Graham Rushworth who, he claims, botched his treatment after failing to diagnose his underlying gum disease.
It was only when the 60-year-old went to another dentist, after Dr Rushworth retired in 2015, that the years of painful, expensive and allegedly unnecessary work became apparent. Mr Schofield said: ‘I was a young man when I first started seeing Dr Rushworth.
‘That was when the never-ending problems with my teeth started.
‘I was soon visiting him multiple times a year as there always seemed to be something wrong.
‘I just started to believe I had bad teeth. You put your trust in dentists as professionals.’
He added: ‘I was wasting so much time and money travelling to appointments, missing work.’
Lawyers for Mr Schofield alleged poor treatment at Coal Clough Dental in Burnley, Lancashire. The practice is now under new management and was given an impeccable report after inspection last year.
Dr Rushworth agreed a financial settlement in July but denied liability. Mr Schofield, who will need a year of treatment to repair the damage, will marry his fiancee Julie Wright when it is over.
Asked if Dr Rushworth had been the subject of a so-called fitness to practise investigation before he retired, the General Dental Council said it was ‘unable to provide further information’.