Dentist removed from list of registered dental professionals for certificate forging
A dentist from Godstone has been removed from the General Dental Council’s (GDC) list of registered dental professionals for not having appropriate indemnity in place cover and forging a certificate to claim that such cover was in place.
The GDC investigates matters when it is alleged that a dental professional’s ability, behaviour or health may impair their fitness to practise. The allegations against Paul Ruben Holt were considered by the GDC’s Professional Conduct Committee. The allegations included not having adequate indemnity cover; forging an indemnity certificate; and providing The White House Dental Practice in Ivy Mill Lane, Godstone, with the forged certificate.
The Committee found that Mr Holt’s conduct was both misleading and dishonest, impairing his fitness to practise by reason of misconduct.
The Committee took into account that Mr Holt is an experienced dentist, and so would have been aware that professional indemnity is a fundamental requirement of the dental profession.
By not being appropriately covered, Mr Holt effectively had no arrangements in place for patients who may suffer harm or experience problems after treatment. Mr Holt’s subsequent act of forging an indemnity certificate was a clear breach of the standards dental professionals are expected to meet, and thus compounded the misconduct. It was decided by the committee that this misconduct impaired Mr Holt’s fitness to practise.
Although there was no harm to patients as a result of Mr Holt’s actions, there was an ongoing risk to patients who were treated during Mr Holt’s five years of practice with no indemnity. In making its decision to remove Mr Holt from the register, the Committee took into account that the public’s confidence in the dental profession and this regulatory process would be undermined if a finding of impairment were not made in the circumstances of this case.
Mr Holt was suspended immediately, but can appeal. His name will be removed from the register if he does not appeal within 28 days which means he won’t be able to practise as a dentist in the UK.
