Charge

On 9 to 13 May 2016 the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal considered a charge of professional misconduct laid by a Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) appointed by the Dental Council of New Zealand against Dr M, registered Dentist (the Dentist).

The charge comprised 5 Particulars. The first three Particulars related to a failure to comply with professional standards for hygiene practices in respect of treatment of prisoners from a neighbouring prison.

The fourth Particular related to a failure to meet professional standards when providing dental treatment to a patient for the extraction of fourteen teeth, approved and paid for by WINZ among other things telling the patient that the Dentist would keep the balance of the WINZ refund for the extraction of teeth as a credit towards dentures.

The fifth Particular concerned a failure to meet appropriate professional standards during a dental examination of a further patient, including failure to comply with proper hygiene practices and acting in a rude and non-caring manner towards the patient.

Finding

The Tribunal found that none of the particulars of the charge were established and that the charge was dismissed.

The Tribunal did note however, that while there may have been sub-standard activity in respect to the replacement of gloves while treating one patient if that treatment is interrupted by the touching of equipment; and the telling of a patient that the Dentist would keep the balance of the WINZ refund for the extraction of teeth as a credit towards dentures, these failures were not sufficiently below a standard, in the circumstances of this particular charge, to warrant disciplinary sanction.