Public believe marketing campaigns by ‘No Win No Fee’ firms are on the up

The statistic reflects concerns from Dental Protection that these lawyers are increasingly targeting dental patients, in particular, claims relating to the diagnosis and treatment of periodontal disease due to higher financial rewards.

When asked if they would take legal action against their dentist if their treatment led to problems or complications, nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of the public surveyed said they would be likely to, while 56 per cent said they would be unlikely to. 

Dental Protection is also concerned about some law firms placing stories in the media about successful claims against dentists, and how this affects public opinion - however the YouGov survey showed that 65 per cent of the public would not be put off going to the dentist if they read a negative story about a dentist.

Raj Rattan, dental director at Dental Protection said, “We recognise that dentists work in a challenging environment. Our data shows that a full time general dental practitioner can now expect to receive two clinical negligence claims over a typical career.