The case of the dentist sent to trial by the Court of Rome for manslaughter opens up a painful and complex reflection on medical diagnosis and possible errors that can have serious consequences. The accusation concerns the incorrect diagnosis of gingivitis made to the patient Thomas Nuovo, who instead suffered from melanoma.
Judge Francesco Patrone accepted the arguments of the public prosecutor, Vincenzo Barba, who holds the dentist responsible for not having promptly proceeded with the necessary investigations which could have changed the patient’s fate.
The story begins in 2018, when Thomas, 42, went to the dentist for a lump between his teeth. The initial diagnosis of inflammation leads to indications for normal oral hygiene, but despite the procedures performed, the disorder does not regress. On July 30 of the same year, during another visit, the dental hygienist suspects that the problem may be of a more serious nature, such as a tumor, but the dentist advises the patient to return only after the summer.
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Subsequent investigations, including an x-ray taken on October 1, revealed no tumors according to the dentist, leading to treatment that continues to be based on oral hygiene interventions. In December, however, the dentist decides to carry out a laser excision without histological analyzes and without signed consent. Only on the following 18 January was the patient referred to Umberto I, where a biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of melanoma. Subsequent treatments, including surgeries and oncological therapies, fail to save Thomas Nuovo, who dies at 44, leaving behind two young children.
The prosecution claims that the dentist, by not having arranged cyto-histological tests within the timescales appropriate for medical practice, prevented a timely diagnosis which could have significantly prolonged the patient’s life. The case is emblematic of how crucial diagnostic attention for suspected pathologies is and represents a warning for the healthcare sector regarding responsibility and timeliness in treatment.
