Timothy R Ward, DMD

Dr Ward performed a root canal for me 6yrs ago. About six months ago I started having severe jaw pain and ended up in an ER thinking I was having a heart attack. I then went to another dentist who sent me to an endodontist where he explained that Dr Ward had left a file in my root and it had become infected and he would try to remove it in order to save my tooth. This costed another 1600.00 and it could not be removed. I called Penny at Dr Wards office and I explained to her the situation and I do not feel I should have to pay for the attempted removal or possible loss of my tooth due to the fact that Dr Ward left a file in my root and she laughed at me and said it was no big deal and that Dr Ward also had a file in his root from a root canal as well and it never gave him any trouble ... hmmmm ??? Really ??? you are justifying this by saying Dr Ward has the same problem ??? and she laughed again and said no Dr Ward takes no financial responsibility because it is common to happen. She did say she would have him call me back and NO he never has ....it's been over a week.

I will say it is common to happen because I have researched this extensively and yes not all people have any problems with the file being left in the canal and some like myself can walk around for years and all of the sudden it causes pain.

What is common is that the dentist and his dental assistant have a responsibility to check all the files and measure them as they come back out of my mouth. Just as a Surgeon and his nurse have to account for all there instruments in the operating room. I am sure people can live and walk around for years with surgical scissors too and it never gives them any trouble. .....and then it was Dr Wards responsibility to tell me at that time that a file broke off in the root and if I would like before he put the crown on I could have it removed by the endodontist. I was never given that choice...I was never even told....He made that decision for me and neglect fully did not inform me the patient.

I also found out that dentists offer not to charge for the root canal procedure. The patient only pays for the crown and some even pay to have the file removed by the endodontist especially for patients who pay cash and do not have dental insurance.

While on vacation in Arkansas visiting family I had a somewhat major dental emergency when one of the crowns in the front of my mouth fell out and left me with a gaping hole in the front of my mouth. I called every dentist within 45 miles who accepted my insurance plan and Dr. Ward was the only one who was able to see me that same day, and even went so far as to have his office text me "turn by turn" directions from the house I was staying to his office. Upon arrival at his office I was immediately brought in the back and given a local anesthetic to control the pain and then questioned in depth about my dental history before being taken for x-rays. While I waited for the x-ray film to be developed I was informed of the steps which would happen next, the reason for it, and how it would contribute to "healing" my mouth, so much so that when it came time to do the work I felt incredibly at ease knowing what was going on at all times.

In the end my mouth was "fixed", my vacation was saved, and to this very day I have not had a problem with it again. If I lived in the area year round Dr. Ward would undoubtedly be my Dentist for life, he really is that good.