SAN DIEGO — Traci Parker left Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego on Tuesday after an eight-day stay. She was forced to undergo surgery for a severe infection after what should have been a routine dental visit.
She should have never ended up in the hospital, she said. But her doctor didn't listen to her concerns.
"It's been really hard on me," Parker said. "If I had not gotten treated when I did, I could have gotten septic."
Her ordeal started back on August 3 when she went in for the first of two appointments to get a crown. She was in pain after her appointment, she said. It continued to worsen as the days passed.
“I called the following week, the 16th, and said my pain is getting worse. I feel like it's infected. I feel like there's something else going on besides just crown pain and she said you probably just need a bite adjustment,” Parker said.
Parker told CBS 8 the dentist adjusted her crown, which didn't help.
"I asked that dentist, 'also can I please maybe get some antibiotics, I feel like there's something else going on,' [but] she declined and gave me some Tylenol cream instead. But then by that Sunday the pain was so bad that my entire face hurt," Parker said.
She also said she reached out to the dental office's answering service, but no one responded until she left a negative review on their website. She was then referred to a third party specialist who confirmed her suspicions.
"He took one look at me and said you need to go to the ER immediately," said Parker.
Carmen Balber, executive director of Consumer Watchdog, a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization, told CBS 8 Parker's story is not uncommon.
“We're very concerned when we hear another story like this. Sometimes it doesn't lead to any harm, but we know that misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis is one of the leading causes of medical errors in this country,” said Parker.
Balber said Parker did the right thing by trusting her instinct and pushing for answers. Beyond that, she suggests patients seek treatment elsewhere, and go to your appointments prepared.
"Have your list of questions. Let your doctor know you have three important things that you wanna ask them and get an answer to and make sure go through each of those items," said Balber.
Meanwhile, Parker, who has a background in nursing, hopes her story will not only help other patients who feel unheard, but also serve as a reminder to physicians.
"I just urge physicians and dentists to listen to their patients when they think there’s something else going on. Listen to their patients because I shouldn’t be in this position just because I'm getting a crown put on," said Parker.
Parker has reported the dentist in question to the Better Business Bureau. She has not decided if she will sue yet, she said.
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