Why Us

Diagnosis is the crucial first step in dental treatment, involving exams, X-rays and other tools to identify oral health problems, such as cavities, gum disease or tooth fractures, which allows for a tailored treatment plan that restores health and prevents future issues. Diagnosis is a central part of the overall dental patient care cycle.  However, the lack of consistent and accurate dental diagnoses, or dental diagnosis errors, is a common and increasing problem in the dental field.  Overlooking the critical importance of accurate diagnosis in dental treatment can lead to serious consequences for patients, including disease progression, increased pain, more invasive procedures, and even tooth loss or systemic health issues

Diagnostic errors have been known to plague the dental profession. In a retrospective review of 182 published case reports in dentistry, 23% of dental patient experiences were categorized as either having delayed appropriate treatment, disease progression, or unnecessary treatment associated with misdiagnoses. In a survey of more than 2000 patients, 1 in 4 Americans said that they or someone they know experienced a dental diagnostic error.

Poor dental provider communication, inadequate time with the provider and lack of patient self-advocacy & health literacy were among the top factors that patients believed contributed to the development of a dental diagnostic error. Patients suggested that improvements in provider chairside manners, more detailed patient diagnostic workups and improving personal self-advocacy would significantly reduce the occurrence of dental diagnostic errors. Patients also reported that their dental diagnostic errors were likely related to the ever-increasing dental practice style of “get them in, get them out”. 

Additionally, many dental offices have been known to “pad” their dental diagnoses and treatment plans in order to compensate for stagnant and increasingly poor dental insurance reimbursement rates. Finally, the increasing number of newer and under-experienced dentists has amplified these effects.

Consequently, providing an accurate diagnosis, while also understanding the patient’s perspective, is a vital part of remedying the complex challenges of avoiding dental diagnostic errors. We believe that a proper diagnosis AND a well-informed patient is incredibly important in order to make smart decisions regarding dental care.