Paulina Baran, a 35-year-old masseuse, was awarded ￡18,000 in compensation after her lawyers alleged that the shoddy treatment at Victoria Clinic left her unable to eat and uncomfortable in social situations.
Baran received treatment from Victoria Dental and Healthcare Ltd between 2015 and 2019 to correct her smile.
She said the treatment began in 2015 with tooth extractions and braces. Although she was told it would take about two and a half years, it ultimately stretched to nearly four years.
To fill the gaps left by the extractions, she received a second set of braces and was told in late 2019 that she would need microscrew implants.
“I was already in a lot of pain and embarrassment—I didn’t want to smile. The metal braces and the gaps made me very uncomfortable in public,” Baran said. She later discovered the implants were unnecessary and says she still suffers from pain and sensitivity.
Food still gets stuck between her teeth, and her gum tissue remains damaged; she says she needs grafts to replace the torn tissue.
The Dental Law Partnership, which advised Baran, said an analysis of her records revealed that the treatment resulted in unnecessary surgical implants, gum damage, severe pain, and swelling—outcomes the firm claims were avoidable.
“Our client’s pain and suffering were completely avoidable,” said Tara Westhead of the Dental Law Partnership.
The clinic accepted no liability, but the claim was settled in March 2025. We contacted the Victoria Clinic for comment.