Legal Aspects of Dentistry Practice Test 2026 – Complete Exam Prep

Compensatory damages in a dental malpractice action are financial compensation awarded to cover the actual losses the patient suffered because of the dentist’s breach. The goal is to restore the person to the position they would have been in had the malpractice not occurred. This includes economic losses like medical expenses and lost wages, and it also covers non-economic harms such as pain and suffering caused by the malpractice. Sometimes future costs and diminished earning capacity are included if they flow from the dentist’s fault.

Punitive damages, by contrast, are meant to punish especially egregious conduct and are not tied to compensating actual losses. Statutory penalties are penalties imposed by law on the practitioner, not compensation to the patient. Non-monetary harms like reputational damage alone aren’t the focus unless they are part of the compensable financial amount for the patient’s actual losses.