DENTAL SERVICES

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 3, 3 July 1931, Page 3

DENTAL SERVICES

A DISPUTED ACCOUNT

'Refusal to pay an account for dental services rendered to hie two daughters brought J. B. Dixon; Civil servant, before Mr. T. B. M'Neil,, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court recently to defend a claim made against him by I. V. Wilson, dental surgeon, of: Wellington. Dixon refused to., pay the. bill on the ground that the work done was in part unnecessary and overcharged, but the Magistrate held that the plaintiff had the defendant's authority for the work, which had been carried out, in. accordance with the best modern dental practice, and therefore entered judgment for the amount claimed, £1S Is 6d, together with £7 15s 6d'costs. . After hearing the evidence of the parties and : three local dentists concerning the necessity of the work and the' reasonableness of the charge, the Magistrate stated that he was forced to the conclusion that the use of an X-ray for the purpose of diagnosing the troubles in.the teeth was not only the proper, method to be used, but had been authorised by the defendant himself. _ The three dentists who had given evidence for the plaintiff were eminent men of standing in the community. Having examined the radios taken by the plaintiff, they had found that the work done was necessary to prevent worse troubles that would have affected the health of the children. Without knowing the charge made by the plaintiff, these witnesses had valued the work according to their own practice, and in two instances the total charges came to more than the charge made by.the- plaintiff.