Legal matters

Dental expert evidence for legal proceedings.


Independent dental expert evidence for civil claims, regulatory proceedings and specialist legal matters.

Submit an Enquiry for Expert CVs Explore legal matters
A solicitor and dental clinician reviewing anonymised records with a panoramic dental radiograph
Case-led matchingForum · clinical issue · expert discipline
Claimant instructionsDefendant instructionsSingle joint instructions

Start with the legal context

The same clinical records can serve a different evidential purpose.

The expert’s question must fit the proceedings—not simply the injury.

In a dental negligence claim, the opinion may address breach of duty and causation. A personal injury instruction may instead centre on condition, prognosis and future treatment. GDC proceedings concern professional standards and impairment within a regulatory framework; they are not civil negligence claims.

Criminal, CICA and inquest work each has a distinct purpose. We scope the instruction around the issue the decision-maker must resolve and the limits of the expert’s role.

Scope before instruction

Different forum. Different expert question.

01

Civil evidence

Expert evidence is restricted to what is reasonably required. In civil proceedings, the expert’s overriding duty is to help the court on matters within their expertise.

02

Regulatory evidence

A GDC standard-of-care opinion should address the clinical issues without deciding impairment or sanction, which remain matters for the relevant decision-maker.

03

Specialist evidence

Criminal, statutory-scheme and coronial instructions must be framed around the particular legal process; a civil report should not simply be repurposed.

How we assess an enquiry

A focused route to the right expertise.

Send the legal matter, clinical issues and the opinion required. A case manager can then consider the discipline and scope before an expert is approached.

  1. 01

    Identify the forum

    Civil court, regulatory committee, statutory compensation scheme, criminal proceeding or inquest.

  2. 02

    Define the clinical question

    Standard of care, causation, injury, prognosis, future treatment, identification or another properly bounded issue.

  3. 03

    Match the discipline

    The proposed expert’s clinical practice and sub-speciality should fit the treatment or injury under consideration.

  4. 04

    Review before instruction

    Receive a relevant CV and quotation so suitability can be considered before the instruction is placed.

Frequently asked questions

Before you choose a legal matter.

Not automatically. The questions, procedural rules and decision-maker differ. The instruction should identify the forum and the precise issues on which expert opinion is required.

Yes. Civil expert evidence may be prepared for claimant, defendant or single joint instructions. The expert’s duty to the court is unchanged by the instructing party.

Identify the proceeding, the treatment or injury in issue, the opinion required and any relevant procedural date. Detailed clinical records can be requested securely after the scope is agreed.

No. CPR Part 35 governs expert evidence in civil proceedings in England and Wales. Regulatory, criminal, statutory-scheme and coronial work must be prepared for the applicable forum.

Discuss an instruction

Not certain where the matter fits?

Tell us the legal forum, clinical issues and opinion required. We will consider the appropriate dental discipline before sending suitable expert CVs.

Submit an Enquiry for Expert CVs