An incident in China demonstrates how greed and negligence in healthcare can endanger people's lives. A 63-year-old man, who initially required treatment for only one tooth, was convinced by the clinic that all other 12 teeth needed to be extracted, after which 10 dental implants were installed.
How events unfolded
According to a report by the South China Morning Post, last September in Baoczi city, Shanxi province, China, a resident named Li (name changed) visited the Datuanyuan dental clinic due to pain in one tooth. He was attracted by the clinic's loud advertising promises, which claimed that after installing a dental implant, one could eat meat in the morning and live to be 100 years old.
Deception and financial losses
The clinic staff offered Li a free examination and arranged transportation. However, after the examination, the doctors extracted all remaining 12 teeth and then performed the procedure of installing 10 implants. The situation worsened because the clinic withdrew about 18,800 yuan (equivalent to approximately 2.2 lakh rupees) from Li's bank account and digital wallet under the pretext of paying for the treatment, leaving him with an additional bill of 6,200 yuan (about 73 thousand rupees).
Patient condition and medical risks
Li told Chinese media that when his son came to pick him up, his mouth was bloody. He only had 30 yuan (about 350 rupees) left for travel. Furthermore, Li suffered from several serious diseases, including ischemic heart disease, heart attack, diabetes, and high blood pressure, and had four stents implanted in his heart. Medical experts emphasize that extreme caution is necessary before extracting teeth or installing implants in such a condition. Dentist Fu Dongzi from Wuhan University Nenming Hospital noted that implants should not be placed in patients with diabetes until their blood sugar levels are controlled.
Documentation issues and investigation
A similar incident previously occurred in China where a person had 23 teeth extracted and 12 implants installed in one day, after which they died 13 days after the treatment. Li's family filed three complaints with the local health department, claiming that the clinic provided incomplete medical records and subsequently added documents. Additionally, Li's medical record incorrectly listed his gender as 'female'. The family also noticed a suspicious delay in providing a consultation record from a cardiologist, which was only available after six months.
Authorities' findings
In July, the local health department conducted an inspection and found the clinic guilty on several counts. It was established that the patient was not presented with alternative treatment options, necessary preliminary medical examinations were not properly conducted, and the medical records did not meet established standards. As a result, the authorities ordered the clinic to return the entire amount collected from Li and closed it for corrective measures.