Civil claims related to dental care in Chile according to court rulings 2011-2017.

Juan Villagra; Valentina Zúñiga; Javiera Macuada; Carlos Marchant; Carlos Muñoz

doi:10.17126/joralres.2020.077

Juan Villagra Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile. http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4027-0035
Valentina Zúñiga Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile.
Javiera Macuada Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile.
Carlos Marchant Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile. Consejo Regional Valparaíso, Colegio de Cirujano Dentistas de Chile A.G, Chile http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1103-0681
Carlos Muñoz Consejo Regional Valparaíso, Colegio de Cirujano Dentistas de Chile A.G, Chile. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Chile.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17126/joralres.2020.077

Abstract

Objective: To describe Civil Claims (CCs) related to the provision of dental care according to court rulings published on the website of the Chilean Judicial Power. Material and methods: Descriptive study of 62 CCs filed against dentists or dental clinics according to court rulings available on the website of the Chilean Judicial Power between the years 2011 – 2017, identified by court rulings using a keyword search. Data were tabulated and analyzed using EXCEL and Stata.15, through descriptive statistics, proportions comparison test, and Spearman's Rho test. Results: An increase in the number of CCs according to the 2011-2017 court rulings was observed. CCs were filed on average 27.5 months after the events occurred. Judicial processes lasted a mean of 27 months, and the Araucanía region accounted for the highest rate. The highest number of lawsuits were placed against male general dentists with a mean age of 44, filed by female patients with a mean age of 46. A total of 66.13% of the CCs were rejected by the court, and 33.87% were ruled in favor of the plaintiffs. The financial compensation claims reached an average of $37,751,516 CLP (1500.32 Chilean UF), approximately $47,000 USD as of the date of the data collection process. Conclusion: There is an upward trend in the filing of CCs in Chile, although most were rejected by the court. A better understanding of the reasons that lead to the legal processes is necessary to prevent their occurrence.

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