Dentist guilty of 'urinating' in his surgical sink » Health » 24dash.com

A dentist was today found guilty of using dental instruments to clean his fingernails and ears and urinating into a surgical sink by the General Dental Council.

Alan Hutchinson, 51, was found to have used unhygienic practices including probing his ears and cleaning his fingernails with sterilised tools at his surgery in Batley, West Yorkshire.

Dental nurse Claire Pygott told the hearing at Central London how she could smell urine coming from a sink at the surgery.

She said she smelt the urine seconds after seeing Mr Hutchinson "tucking something" into his trousers before seeing a patient in March last year.

Mr Hutchinson had denied the charges against him except allegations of not routinely wearing gloves.

He told the hearing that for most of his career he had not always used gloves while treating patients due to a latex allergy, a practice that he said he regretted".

Chair of the committee Colin Smith said that while the committee was satisfied that on a number of occasions Mr Hutchinson did use dental instruments to clean his fingernails and ears, replacing them on a tray alongside sterilised instruments it was satisfied that these events were occasional rather than frequent.

Mr Hutchinson's lack of hygiene while carrying out treatment was revealed after a complaint was made by a patient last year.

The unnamed woman, whose family also used the surgery told North Kirklees Primary Care Trust that he had refused to wear gloves while removing her wisdom tooth.

When staff and other patients were routinely interviewed as part of the investigation into the woman's claims further allegations were made.

Ms Pygott, who had worked with Mr Hutchinson for 16 years agreed she was "disgusted" after witnessing the dentist having just used the sink as a toilet.

She told the hearing that she was too embarrassed to raise the matter with her employer.

She said: "How do you tell your employer that you've just seen him urinate in the sink?

"It was a very delicate matter. I was too embarrassed to have to say I have just witnessed you urinating in the sink."

Pressed on why she did not raise the issue she added: "Because he is a very intimidating and manipulative man.

"I didn't think I could bring it up in front of him without being sacked."

A receptionist at the practice told how Ms Pygott later went down and told her "dirty b******, he has peed in the sink. I can smell it".

When it was suggested to Ms Pygott that her comments were not very professional she replied: "I would not say weeing in the sink is very professional."

Mr Hutchinson had claimed he had been merely "cleaning his teeth" at the sink as part of his normal routine before treating people.

The hearing was adjourned for further submissions to take place this afternoon.

During submissions for Mr Hutchinson's defence, the hearing was told how he is a well known figure in the community who has been involved in raising tens of thousands of pounds for good causes at home and abroad.

Peter Wilkinson, of Bradford, gave character evidence for Mr Hutchinson praising his "integrity" and "drive", especially in charitable matters.

He told of Mr Hutchinson's organisation of visits to Shakespearean festivals and ical concerts.

He told how Mr Hutchinson helped raise £17,000 with a charity concert involving an Abba tribute group, donated to a local children's hospice and the emergency services.

"It was absolutely fantastic," Mr Wilkinson said.

He said the charity work "took up a tremendous amount of his time".

He described Mr Hutchinson as "a man of great integrity and professionalism".

He added: "He is very, very well known in the area and I've never, ever heard anybody to have a bad word to say about him either socially or professionally."

Simon Cridland, in defence of Mr Hutchinson, said he had been involved in charity work since his twenties, including round table and rotary club work.

He has also organised a Last Night of the Proms concert and a Queen tribute band event, for which he hopes to raise over £20,000.

Mr Hutchinson has also worked for the healthcare of Bosnian refugees, has 10,000 pencils at his home in anticipation of a charity trip to Africa and has provided vital equipment for a school in the Atlas mountains, Mr Cridland said.

"I ask you not to impose the ultimate sanction of erasure in this case," Mr Cridland told the panel.

"He is a dentist who is committed to dentistry and is kind and caring in respect of his patients and did put himself out when it came to providing emergency dental treatment."

Testimonials from patients who were satisfied with Mr Hutchinson's treatment and praised his work were also provided to the panel who retired once more for further consideration of the case.

Copyright Press Association 2007

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