Dentist censured by GDC for using counterfeit equipment

Dentist censured by GDC for using counterfeit equipment

Fizan Tahir, who bought equipment on eBay, was censured by a recent GDC hearing concerning the use of counterfeit dental devices. This highlighted the dangers to both patient and professional registration from using counterfeit and non-compliant devices. He was put on conditions, which included carrying out an equipment audit every three months in all his practices.

The FtP committee found that, during the period 2011 to 2014 the  business expanded from 2 to 14 practices, which was a ‘significant growth over a short period of time, with only yourself and your co-director responsible for the running of the company’. The Committee noted that he had initially tendered for the provision of equipment in 2011, and over the course of the following years gradually included the purchasing of equipment through the eBay website at a significantly lower cost to that offered through the tender process.

The Committee noted he bought in bulk in larger and larger amounts, often using the ‘auction’ option to bid for lower prices. The Committee was satisfied that this pattern of purchasing suggested on the balance of probabilities that he was financially motivated. The Committee considered the attraction of the cost savings blinded him to other considerations, and they noted that he appeared to take no additional steps to verify the manufacturing standards of the products being purchased or test their quality.

The Committee also found that (an associate’s) account of an incident which occurred on 31 October 2013 to be credible and truthful. The Committee was satisfied that an incident did occur which involved the handpiece she was using malfunctioning whilst the patient was in the chair and that it malfunctioned to the extent it ‘fell apart’ in or near the patient’s mouth.

Tony Reed, British Dental Industry Association Executive Director comments, “The recent GDC hearing is a stark reminder of the seriousness of using of counterfeit dental devices. It may also sound alarm bells for any dentists who may have purchased from unreliable sources and emphasises the importance of purchasing from reputable suppliers.”

The BDIA continues to work closely with the profession and MHRA on its CSIDI activity.  The overall message of the initiative is very simple; substandard and counterfeit instruments and devices are potentially dangerous to patients and users and the BDIA recommends that all purchases, however small, are made from a reputable supplier and that all suspect instruments, and devices are reported to the appropriate authorities at the earliest opportunity. Reporting can be done via a simple, dedicated web page on the BDIA website at www.bdia.org.uk

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