Frequently asked questions

Dental clinical negligence and personal injury matters within the scope of general dental practice: restorative dentistry, periodontal care, endodontics, extractions, consent, treatment planning, record-keeping and prognosis. I act for claimants, defendants and as a single joint expert. Instructions outside my competence — for example specialist orthodontic or maxillofacial surgical technique — are declined or redirected at the enquiry stage rather than after documents are sent.

Yes. My role is to provide independent expert evidence regardless of who instructs, and my caseload includes claimant, defendant and joint instructions.

A short summary of the case, the issues the report should address, whether an examination is likely to be needed, and any court deadline. There is no need to send records at this stage. Conflicts are checked and suitability confirmed before anything further is exchanged.

Often, depending on current commitments. Please state any tight deadline in the initial enquiry; for urgent matters, you can call or send a WhatsApp message using the details on the Contact page.

The complete clinical records including all treatment notes, the full radiographic history in original digital format with dates, clinical photographs where they exist, laboratory dockets where relevant, and the letter of instruction. For breach of duty cases, the records of subsequent treating dentists are usually needed for causation. Incomplete records are the most common cause of delay and of provisional opinions that later need revisiting.

Electronic transfer is preferred. Radiographs should be supplied as original image files rather than screenshots or scans of printouts, since image quality frequently matters to the opinion.

Clinical examinations can be arranged across the UK, with the location agreed to suit the instruction and the availability of suitable clinical facilities. Venues used to date include Sheffield, Bristol, Blackpool, Swansea, Cardiff, Peterborough, Ware, Strood, Clacton-on-Sea, Bournemouth and Ivybridge. Other locations can be considered by agreement where suitable clinical facilities exist and the arrangement is proportionate.

No. Breach of duty and causation opinions are frequently prepared from records alone. Condition and prognosis reports usually require an examination unless the claimant has been examined recently and the findings are documented. Whether an examination is needed is confirmed at the scoping stage.

A missed appointment without reasonable notice is chargeable. Rebooking is arranged through the instructing party. Please contact us to confirm the notice period and DNA charge that applies.

A written fee estimate is provided before any work begins, based on the volume of records and the issues to be addressed. Please contact us for current fee information, including hourly rates, fixed-fee options for screening reviews, and terms for agency and deferred instructions.

Turnaround times are confirmed at the scoping stage and depend on the volume of records, whether an examination is required, and current commitments. Shorter timescales can sometimes be agreed where a court deadline requires it. Timescales run from receipt of complete records and a signed letter of instruction — partial disclosure pauses the clock.

Cancellation terms for examinations, conferences and hearings are provided with the fee estimate before instructions are accepted. Please contact us for current terms.

Formal reports for civil proceedings in England and Wales are prepared in accordance with CPR Part 35 and Practice Direction 35. For other jurisdictions, the applicable rules, declarations and report format are confirmed before acceptance. Reports distinguish fact from opinion and identify uncertainty; preliminary screening reviews are scoped separately.

Yes. Replies to CPR 35 questions, review of opposing expert evidence, conferences with counsel, joint discussions and joint statements are all available after the main report. Attendance at trial can be accommodated with sufficient notice.

Yes, and early. If a screening review or first read of the records suggests the claim or defence faces real difficulty, that view is given plainly before further costs are incurred. An unfavourable honest opinion at the screening stage is cheaper than one served in a report.

Instructions are welcomed across the UK — England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland — and the Republic of Ireland. Selective international instructions are considered by agreement, subject to expertise, conflicts, local requirements and the scope of the case. CPR Part 35 applies to civil expert evidence in England and Wales. For Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and other jurisdictions, the applicable rules, report format, declarations and any attendance requirements must be confirmed with the instructing legal team before acceptance.