A former Tayport dentist has been suspended for nine months after 29 allegations about his conduct were proved by the General Dental Council.
Andrew Robertson Gow, 27, faced a tribunal about his conduct when he worked at the Old Bank Dental Surgery for four months in 2012.
The hearing finished this week and the GDC issued its judgment against Gow.
Among the allegations proved was that he inserted his fingers into a patient’s mouth despite a request not to do so from their mother.
Following the verdict, Gow who no longer works in Tayport said: “It’s on the determination that I wasn’t getting the appropriate appointment times and that I had a lack of equipment, so I’m pleased that they have taken that into consideration.”
The verdict stated that Mr Gow provided inadequate dental care and treatment to patients, made inappropriate diagnoses and referrals, did not communicate with others in an appropriate way, failed to take medical histories, ignored patients’ wishes and indications that they were in distress during his treatment of them and failed to obtain informed consent for treatments prior to commencing them.
The decision report added: “Mr Gow’s failings related to 14 patients in total.
“At the time that these matters arose Mr Gow was a recently qualified dentist.
“He described the environment at the dental surgery in Fife as pressured, with insufficient time given for him to deal with emergency appointments.
“From Mr Gow’s written evidence it appears that there was a lack of support for him as a newly qualified dentist.
“There was some evidence of a breakdown in professional and personal relationships fairly early on.
“On the other hand, Mr Gow’s misconduct and deficient professional performance was sustained over a four-month period.
“His failings were wide-ranging and serious. They related to basic and fundamental aspects of dentistry, patient care and team working, and involved a number of patients.”
The surgery declined to comment.