Register Erasure For Scotlands Worst Dentist

Thu, 02 Jul 2009

A Scottish dentist has been struck off the General Dental Council (GDC) register for misconduct.

Andrew Boyd, who practised at the Barassie Street Dental Practice in Troon, Ayrshire, from 1987 to 2005, was labelled the "worst dentist in Scotland " after a series of malpractices came to light following complaints from patients.

A £300,000 investigation into 900 cases was subsequently launched by the NHS . It found that on a number of occasions Mr Boyd had failed to examine patients properly, not recorded treatment and failed to take necessary X-rays .

The full details of the NHS findings were revealed last month at a GDC hearing.

It was heard how his treatment left one of his patients looking ‘like the Elephant Man' and in need of root canal treatment following, and another spending £17,000 on private treatment to repair his damage. He even advised one woman who had rotting teeth to use a different toothpaste .

At the hearing, GDC chairwoman Marilyn Green said: "He omitted to take proper care of his patients on a large number of occasions, and failed to provide the basic diagnosis and treatment of common oral disease which would be expected of a competent dental practitioner . This amounted to the supervised neglect of his patients."

"The committee has to protect the public and maintain its confidence in the profession and has therefore decided that erasure from the Dentists' Register is the only appropriate and proportionate sanction in this case."

Margaret Watt, chairwoman of Scotland Patients' Association, said Mr Boyd was "the worst" dentist she had ever heard about in Scotland .

"It's shocking that it took so long for his behaviour to be exposed when he was very clearly endangering patients' lives," she said.

"Bad oral hygiene can cause all sorts of health problems especially if the patient has an underlying health condition such as a heart problem ."
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