Overview

• Emily Starling, a 53-year-old from Canterbury, was awarded £10,000 in December 2024 after a fractured jaw during a 2021 tooth extraction led to severe complications.
• The dentist abandoned the procedure mid-extraction and failed to stamp a prescription for antibiotics, leaving Starling in agony and unable to access necessary medication.
• Starling experienced infections, sinus issues, chronic pain, and facial asymmetry, with a bone fragment from her jaw emerging in her hand post-procedure.
• The incident caused significant psychological trauma, requiring cognitive behavioural therapy, and has left her anxious about future dental visits.
• Starling and her legal team advocate for procedural safeguards, such as time limits for extractions, to prevent similar cases of dental negligence.