Dental News ~ S.C. woman gets $2M settlement after 13 teeth yanked by mistake

It was one painful - and unnecessary - dental procedure that cost a dentist and his clinic millions.
A South Carolina woman who had 13 teeth extracted by mistake won a $2 million jury verdict this week.
Plaintiff Elizabeth Smith, 28, is now looking forward to getting her teeth fixed, said her lawyer, Robert Ranson.
"She now sees [the] opportunity [to] move on with her life, and, in her words ... 'get back to being what she was' before this all happened," Ranson said.
Smith is still missing all of her top teeth, and the cost of reconstructive surgery is estimated at $80,000.
In 2006, when Smith sought treatment at the Sexton Dental Clinic in Florence, she agreed to have a dentist pull just three teeth.
Somehow, the dentist mistakenly removed all 16 of her top teeth.
Clinic employees then tried to cover up the mistake in her chart, Ranson said during trial. The clinic still denies the charge.
Sexton Dental Clinic CEO Ruan Westraad declined to comment, but noted the clinic has served tens of thousands of patients every year.
The clinic was founded in 1923 to provide dental care to people who couldn't otherwise afford a dentist. Clinic officials and their lawyer are weighing an appeal.

Article found here!

Pets Can Make You Healthier!

There are so many ways that owning a pet can influence a persons health. If you own a dog or cat and are especially attached to it, you probably enjoy lower blood pressure, less anxiety and even a better immune system than people who don't! Many hospitals use visiting canines to boost the spirits of people who are ill or recovering from surgery. For the elderly, just walking a dog everyday can give them much needed exercise... and a sense of purpose. People with HIV/AIDS and cancer patients are less likely to suffer from depression if they are pet owners.
And for those who are single and shy.....a pet can be an excellent ice-breaker! Dogs are naturally outgoing animals. Take them for a walk and they'll get the conversation going for you by just being themselves!

Lack of Vitamin D in Children

About 70 percent of U.S. children have low levels of vitamin D, which puts them at higher risk for bone and heart disease, researchers said today.
The cause? Poor diet and lack of sunshine, the researchers conclude today in the online version of the journal Pediatrics.
Vitamin D supplementation can help. In the study, children who took vitamin D supplements (400 IU/day) were less likely to be deficient in the vitamin. However, only 4 percent of the study population actually used supplements.
Read more on it here