‘Does dentistry attract criminal personalities?’

A lot of people get anxious about visiting the dentist. What with the pain, drilling and massive bills at the end, it is no wonder why people often avoid going to their appointments.

The top reason for dreading the dentist involves being afraid of pain and worrying about invasive procedures going wrong, but if you thought you’d a bad experience spare a thought for these unfortunate patients.

Earlier this month up to 7,000 patients receiving treatment in a Tulsa, Oklahoma dental practice were urgently advised to get tested for HIV and hepatitis. This crisis was raised after Dr Wayne Scott Harrington was criminally charged for irresponsibly reusing needles and failing to properly sterilize implements after treating each patient.

So far a reported 70 people have tested positive for hepatitis B and around 4 for hepatitis C. Also 3 patents have tested positive for HIV. Testing still continues and the medical board has offered counselling to affected individuals.  Dr Harrington has been forced to give up his licence to practice dentistry.

There is a change that the patients contracted these viruses from elsewhere, but this still does not excuse the bad practices of the clinic because their negligence has still put a lot of patients at risk.

It goes to show that oral hygiene in dental practices is just as important as it is in an operating theatre. Imagine if surgeons failed to properly clean their scalpels or reused old needles after each operation! For many patients of Dr Harrington their worst nightmares have become a reality!

People have used financial reasons as another excuse not to visit the dentist especially within the last recession. Most dentist treatments cost a lot of money especially if done privately but these dentists in particular have been caught illegally attempting to profit from this expensive business.

In trial that has been adjourned to September 2013, London Harley Street Dr Simon Darfoor, faces being struck off or suspended by the General Dental Council (GDC) after allegedly misrepresenting his qualifications as an implantologist on his website. The Evening Standard reports that Darfoor, a graduate of Guy’s and St Thomas’ who was declared bankrupt with debts of over £4.5 million, ran his run his Harley Street clinic falsely advertising himself as an implantologist and charged around £1,000 for treatment to replace missing teeth with implants. EssienTV is following this case closely.

In October 2012 Birmingham dentist Dr Joyce Trail was jailed for defrauding the NHS out of over £1.4 million. Dr Trail was arrested and tried for allegedly claiming money for treatment that was never carried out. She managed to build up a large amount of money by duplicating treatment claims and by making bogus claims for patients who were dead. Her daughter was also jailed for helping her commit this fraud.

Mother and daughter used the money to fund an extravagant lifestyle of holidays and designer clothes and shoes.  They now face a jail sentence and an order to pay back a percentage of the money they stole.

A dental clinic if full of dangerous implements and substances and in the wrong hands disasters can happen. This is a good reason to background check all potential employers. If you do work in a dental clinic this is also a good reason not to fall out with your work colleagues, as one practice manager found out last month.

A dental nurse made news in April 2013 for allegedly poisoning her boss, practice manager, Laura Knowles by putting mercury in her coffee. According to evidence nurse Ravinder Kaur vengefully placed the toxic metal substance in Laura Knowles coffee after receiving a disciplinary warning from her about her behaviour at work.  An x-ray of Laura Knowles intestines revealed the metal after she was taken ill after drinking the coffee made by Ravinder Kaur and traces of the substance were found in a sink.

Ravinder Kaur denies the charges against her and the trial still continues.

Even more nervous now of dentists after reading this? No need to worry. These cases are shocking, but remember they are rare, one off occurrences and 99% of dental clinic are completely safe and carryout routine checks on all members of staff and on any equipment used on patients.