Suit: Dentist leaves woman with mouth full of ruined teeth

Ken Lewis

Longing to make a good impression with her new nursing classmates, Marcia Kerr asked her dentist to give her a dental overhaul.However, she claims Dr. Roland Williams' shoddy work left her with a mouth full of ruined teeth.

Kerr has filed suit against Williams, claiming the dentist failed to "meet reasonably prudent standards of dental care." Her suit was filed in the Jefferson County District Court on Dec. 5.

According to the plaintiff's petition, in early 2003 Kerr still had all her teeth and had received "excellent dental care until her former dentist retired."

She says she was enrolled in nursing school and was concerned about making a good impression. So she went to Williams' office, located at 7640 Eastex Freeway, and discussed porcelain veneers for her front teeth, but Williams talked her into crowns because they last up longer.

"Defendant recommended that plaintiff have crowns placed on her eight front teeth," the suit said. "Plaintiff followed defendant's recommendations and allowed him to begin this work on her teeth around her nursing schedule. Between February 2007 and May 2007, plaintiff gave defendant opportunities to remedy what he said were minor problems with her teeth.

"Defendant was unable to remedy her problems and did not tell plaintiff that his work had severely damaged her teeth. In May 2007, she consulted another dentist and discovered she had serious problems from defendant's dental work. In late November 2007, she learned that defendant's care did not meet reasonably prudent standards of dental care."

In her suit, Keer says Williams' "inappropriate dental care" was the proximate cause of her serious personal injuries.

Kerr alleges that her condition and the care provided by Williams constituted negligence in one or more of the following basis:

Failing to have adequate knowledge of basic prosthetic procedures;

Failing to have appropriate concern for the patient;

Failing to properly prepare plaintiff's original teeth for crowns;

Radically over-preparing some of plaintiff's original teeth for crowns:

Failing to perform necessary endodontic procedures before inserting retention posts into teeth;

Failing to properly prepare crowns;

Failing to properly fit crowns;

Failing to properly affix crowns;

Failing to recognize and remedy poor crown fits;

Failing to recognize and treat decay from poor crown fit;

Failing to recognize and treat pulp decay;

Failing to appropriately use X-rays to monitor dental work;

Failing to stay abreast of modern dental procedures and techniques;

Failing to seek assistance from or refer plaintiff to more qualified or expert dentists.

Failing to appropriately and timely diagnosis and provide or secure treatment for plaintiff's conditions caused by defendant's dental care;

Failing to appropriately intervene to limit and/or reverse plaintiff's condition;

Failing to have the knowledge to consider and make the appropriate diagnosis;

Failing to have adequate skills to deliver the services defendant attempted to provide to plaintiff;

And abandoning the care of a patient prior to completing dental care.

Kerr is suing for actual and exemplary damages, plus past and future medical expenses, disfigurement, mental anguish and loss of earning capacity and enjoyment of life.

She is represented by Kenneth Lewis of the Bush Lewis law firm.

Judge Gary Sanderson, 60th Judicial District, has been assigned to the case.

Case No. B180-855

SOUTHEAST TEXAS RECORD

Suit: Dentist leaves woman with mouth full of ruined teeth

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