CIVIL LIABILITY LAWSTUITS IN DENTISTRY, LONDRINA, BRAZIL

The increase in the number of civil liability lawsuits against dentists and dental clinics is evident. Due to this, it is necessary for the professional to keep informed about the laws, especially about the means of protection in civil lawsuits. This study verified the procedural reality of Londrina, Paraná, Brazil through a quantitative descriptive study, of reading and interpretation of legal proceedings related to dental surgeon civil liability, and entities with activities in the context of odontology in notaries of ten Civil Courts and the six Special Courts of Londrina County. The procedural steps of n=69 cases found were analyzed, verifying that the most frequent specialty was prosthodontics. Discrepancies were found between compensation being claimed and granted, and that a very small number of lawsuits had liability insurance. According to the analysis of the lawsuits, it was verified that a considerable number of judicial proceedings involving dental surgeons and entities concerning Dentistry.