June 7, 2011
INCIDENT in Temecula Dentist Office
The day started in the office waiting room where I sat for 40 minutes past my appointment. I had to ask why I was still waiting. They went in the back to find out and came back to tell me that “We are kinda backed up today. They are cleaning the room for you now. It will be ready in a couple of minutes.” Ten minutes later I was escorted to the room to have my teeth cleaned.
The procedures that day included: teeth cleaning, drilling for two crowns, and fitting for the temporary crowns. (It should be noted here that this place was like walking into a car dealership! They seemed ‘bent’ on promoting all the ‘latest and best options available for whiter, brighter, straighter teeth’ including ‘state-of-the-art crowns in a day’ – just what I do NOT want at this point in my life after retirement – certainly NOT for the prices they quoted!)
The incident occurred after the tech finished fitting me with the two temporary crowns. She said to me, “You’re all finished.” She then proceeded to start cleaning the station and ignored me.
I sat up, from a partially reclining position (with no assistance), took the bib off myself and laid it on the tray and stood up. As I turned to approach the counter to retrieve my handbag, my right foot caught on the exposed cord to the foot pedal causing me to fall to my knees.
I reached with my left arm to the counter to break my fall, which was marginally successful in preventing a hard fall to my knees.
This action caused me to wrench my arm and scrapped an area in the inner, lower part of my arm near my wrist. I felt pain in my arm muscle above the elbow and in my chest muscle.
I managed to stand up with help from the tech and another person who had entered the room. I sat in a chair and checked my knees for any abrasions. Seeing none I did notice a tenderness in both knees at the point of impact.
I checked my inner arm and saw the abrasion but no bleeding. I then checked range of motion of my shoulder and felt pain in my upper arm muscle and muscle of my chest but was able to use my arm. I was asked if I was alright and I stated that I could walk and was ready to leave. I went to the front desk and paid my bill.
During the ensuing week, my arm muscle and chest muscle continued to be sore when used, but Ibuprofen and ice gave some relief.
My knees did not hurt at all unless I pressed on the two areas where small bruises appeared.
A bruise appeared at the abraided spot on my inner arm the size of a silver dollar and was sore to touch.
Range of motion in my left arm is sufficient, limited only by the muscle pain and weakness.
CONCLUSION
The cord to the foot pedal NOT being secured is an OSHA violation.
Employees need to be taught to see to the patient’s needs FIRST before proceeding to clean their station.
June 14th Return Visit for Crowns
When I signed in for my appointment, I was asked, “Do you have a question?” I replied that I had an appointment to which she responded, “We don’t have you down. The doctor had an emergency and it could take a while. Do you want to re-schedule?”
I replied, “I live 20 miles away in the mountains and that would be very inconvenient. Do you know how much longer it could be?” She left and when she came back said they were just finishing up and it would be 15-20 minutes. I decided to wait.
Finally, after 30 minutes, I was taken back to the room (same one where I fell) and the assistant started to prep me. I waited another 15 minutes and the doctor finally came in. They removed the temporary crowns and he left. The assistant sat there with me and we talked a bit. She asked if I would want to have the areas deadened before they put the permanent crowns in place.
The last time I had a crown – some 15-20 years ago – there was only minimal discomfort but certainly tolerable so I said I would be fine. The doctor returned and they fitted the crowns, making sure there was clearance between teeth. He proceeded to put a ‘bonding agent’ in place and I experienced EXTREME pain. I nearly jumped out of the chair! On a scale of 1 to 10 this was a 10 pain level!! Oh My Gosh!! I could not believe the pain! They removed the bonding material and said they would deaden the areas. “YA THINK????” I wanted to scream but I was too busy crying and shaking from the pain. The dentist felt really, really bad that I had experienced such pain and kept apologizing. They deadened the areas – both places, upper and lower – and left the room. As the pain subsided and I started to feel the numbness, they returned but I said that I could still feel in the lower tooth. They gave me more local and left again. I told the tech that they needed to warn older patients who had crowns put in the “Old Fashioned Way” that they may experience a lot of pain and it was HIGHLY recommended that the areas be deadened. I repeated this advice to the dentist later.
Finally, an hour and a half after entering the exam room, they put the two crowns in place. We proceeded to try to determine if I could feel them when I bit down. I could, so he filed off first one then the other. After a while, I remarked that it was like trying to level a three-legged stool.
FINALLY we determined that they both seemed to be O.K. I told the dentist that I needed to speak to him so he stayed and I read the account of my fall from the week ago. He was very concerned and seemed upset that it had happened to me. I told him that I was not going any further with it, since the injuries were O.K. What he did about the future was up to him. I gave him the written report and he said, “We will discuss this in our ‘huddle’ tomorrow morning.”
I said, “You probably won’t believe this but this has been the WORST experience of my 68 years of life!” He was very sad about that and said so.
The assistant came back in to polish the two crowns and to take pictures of them. She was very sweet and attentive (clearly he had said something to her in the hall) and I went to the desk to leave. They wanted me to sign that I was satisfied with the color, shape and fit of the new crowns. I said, “I was not given a mirror to look at them.” She left to find a mirror but I pulled the one from my purse to look. They seemed fine so I signed and left, vowing to NEVER RETURN!!!!