Dentist struck off for poor care and high fees

Former Garstang dentist Mike Booth who has been struck off by the General Dental Council

Frank Michael Booth, who previously worked at the Oasis Dental Care Ltd, Walkers Court Dental Practice, in Garstang, was investigated over claims relating to his standard of care and costs of services.

In the case of one 91-year-one patient, Booth charged over £3,000 for treatments including failed implants, root canals and crowns, which were proven to be unprofessional, misleading and dishonest. The GDC’s Professional Conduct Committee said he was guilty of ‘serious and serial breaches of the basic standards of the care patients are entitled to expect from dentists.’

His treatment of a vulnerable patient was described as ‘ill-considered, short lived and treatment rationale was effectively reactive.’

Some of the charges, which stretch over an eight-year period, related to Mr Booth’s time working at the Garstang practice, between June 2003 and August 2004.He moved his work to Cumbria in 2004.

Mr Booth failed to make regular records of the patient’s treatments or receipts for payments. The committee was told Mr Booth accepted his record keeping was ‘absolutely abysmal’ and he had not offered refunds or adjustments for treatments, which were unprofessional and financially motivated.

The GDC’s Professional Conduct Committee said: “The committee takes a serious view of your conduct in charging high fees and not accepting responsibility or offering appropriate refunds or adjustments for treatment that you carried out or were unable to complete.

‘This conduct was unprofessional, financially motivated and breached the fundamental tenet that you should put patients interests before your own.’

“In the course of a period of eight years you exploited your professional relationship with Patient A and put your own financial interests before her clinical and financial interests.”

Mr Booth was immediately suspended and given 28 days to appeal the decision.