Lerwick dentist charged with misconduct
A dentist working for NHS Shetland is to appear before the General Dental Council (GDC) next month charged with misconduct.
Paul D’Eathe is said to have provided sub-standard dental treatment to a man and woman at Montfield Dental Centre between 2001 and 2011.
He is now to appear at a professional conduct hearing at London’s Barbican Centre, charged with misconduct in the two cases.
Mr D’Eathe was suspended by the GDC for two years in January 2012 after being found guilty of misconduct against 14 other patients.
He was allowed to return to work for NHS Shetland in January this year, but he had to undergo re-training and could only work under supervision.
In the current case, the charges state that he failed to update both patients’ medical history, made inadequate notes and failed to record assessments.
In his treatment of the woman, Mr D’Eathe is accused of failing to provide proper orthodontic assessment, failing to take X-rays and failing to accurately monitor her condition. He is also said to have failed to obtain informed consent from the woman for the treatment.
In the case of the man, Mr D’Eathe is charged with failing to make assessments prior to treatment, failing to keep records, failing to give advice and palliative care.
In January 2012 the GDC found Mr D’Eathe guilty of misconduct in three areas.
Firstly, in record keeping and radiography relating to 14 patients over seven years, he failed to make any records at all for a “significant number” of appointments, and his “exceptionally poor clinical records … had the potential to put patients at risk.”
Secondly, Mr D’Eathe failed to identify the “general dental needs” of orthodontic patients and, thirdly, failed to engage with investigation and remedial training.
The GDC report stated: “You failed in your professional responsibility to comply with the requirement of NHS Shetland to address your deficiencies and improve your practice. The committee found your failure to do so amounted to misconduct.”
After allowing him to return to work, the GDC imposed a “robust plan” of conditions for 18 months. During that time Mr D’Eathe’s registration as a dentist was conditional on his compliance for the protection of the public.
