Bogus ‘dentist’ fined for tooth whitening
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- Published: Thursday, 11 May 2017 07:42
- Written by News Editor
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Thomas Wilson who worked at Wow Teeth Whitening in Sheffield and who is not a registered dentist, was fined £5,000 for tooth whitening. He was found guilty at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court of unlawfully using the title ‘dentist’ and illegal tooth whitening, and fined £2,500 for each offence. He was also ordered to pay a £250 victim surcharge and costs of £2,071.85.
The General Dental Council launched an investigation into Wow Teeth Whitening after a series of complaints about an unregistered dentist offering illegal tooth whitening there. Victoria Sheppard-Jones, Interim Head of the GDC's Illegal Practice team, said: “The GDC's role is to protect patients and work to maintain public confidence in the dental profession. Part of the way we achieve this is by regulating dental professionals and investigating and, where appropriate prosecuting, cases of illegal practice.
“To ensure patient safety, tooth whitening can only be carried out by dentists and dental care professionals who are registered with the GDC. The GDC investigates and where appropriate prosecutes those who carry out illegal dentistry, to ensure that members of the public are protected and not put at risk.”
District Judge Paul Healey described the offence as 'particularly serious' and said that Wilson's patients had been placed at 'serious risk'. He added: “People who choose to have their teeth whitened need to be assured individuals are qualified and registered to do so.”
Illegal Tooth Whitening - no prison sentence still
Dear All,This is one of the things the GDC does well, prosecuting the illegal and dangerous to health amateurs PRETENDING to be safe - it takes a lot of time, money and effort to prepare court cases.
BUT the Courts are letting the public down by NOT issuing a prison sentence as the law allows - even this Judge acknowledged this was a serious threat to public health and they pretended to be a Dentist and did untold harm to many - who knows what infections have been passed on too ?
So they get fines and costs which, frankly even though a few thousand pounds are STILL much cheaper than doing the job legally with all the GDC registration and Insurance fees WE pay routinely, never mind the skills and costs to qualify 5 years at University and do the job properly, cross-infection controls, htm01-05, inspections etc, etc.
In short, these level of fines without a custodial sentence, are making Crime pay - isn't this scandalous ?!?
Yours frustratingly,
Tony.
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