Top dentist 'charged £3,700 for implants that did not fit'

Published on Thursday 28 May 2009 22:03

AN award-winning dentist faces being struck off after he was accused of dishonesty and substandard work by charging a patient £3,700 for tooth implants that did not fit.

A disciplinary case before the General Dental Council yesterday heard that Dr Abid Faqir failed to take a medical history or X-ray the patient's mouth, which would have revealed that her jaw was the wrong size to support the implants.

Dr Faqir, who was crowned Best Young Dentist in Scotland and hyped as one of the most influential practitioners in Britain, also failed to discuss non-surgical options and went ahead with the procedure, fitting three tooth implants that were the wrong size and inserted at the wrong angle.

Patient A, who had recently been treated for breast cancer, was left distressed when one implant fell out and she began to suffer increasing toothache. It was only when she sought a second opinion that she discovered the size of her jaw meant the procedure was not suitable for her.

Dr Faqir is one of Scotland's most high profile dentists. Last year Dentistry Magazine listed him as the 37th most influential dentist in the UK as a result of his tooth implant work.

He is also a trustee of Glasgow's new Riverside museum.

The patient, who first saw Dr Faqir at Faqir & Friel in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire on 10 August, 2006, told the General Dental Council: "I chose Faqir's surgery because it was close to my home and because I had seen an advertisement for their orthodontic work.

"I was having great difficulty wearing my dentures and I was not happy with the aesthetic appearance of my mouth."

Patient A said she had already discussed possible treatment with one of Dr Faqir's colleagues, but on 10 August she was immediately ushered into his room.

The woman explained: "Faqir said that practice policy was that patients had every option presented to them.

"He didn't X-ray my mouth or ask me about my medical history. He said that I should have surgery, but that it would be more expensive than what I had previously discussed.

"He was very enthusiastic about my having a fixed tooth, which would require five implants. He said it would cost 6,000. I was quite concerned about the money. He gave me a lot of information so I asked him to write it down," she said.

"It seemed a very expensive process and the degree of surgery involved, so it was not a serious option. He said in the unlikely event that one fell off, he would replace it free of charge.

"He did not give any negative feelings about it at all and made it seem like a viable option."

Patient A said she agreed to go ahead and the first time she saw anything in writing was when she was given a 3,600 bill for the first part of the work.

It is claimed that Dr Faqir did not get the woman's written consent and neglected to fully explain the procedure or other non-surgical options.

When one of the implants fell out and the patient suffered worsening toothache, she sought a second opinion, and was told that she should not have had the work done because the bones in her mouth were not the right size to take the implants.

Patient A then spent much of 2007 trying to have the dental work rectified and when she complained to Dr Faqir he insisted that he had done his best for her.

Earlier Sarah Plaschkes, for the GDC, told the hearing: "Patient A has paid thousands of pounds and had many appointments, and has found herself in a nightmare."

Dr Faqir admits several of the charges in relation to Patient A, but denies having failed to obtain her consent. The dentist denies misconduct and that his fitness to practise is impaired.

He further denies not putting Patient A's interests first and acting dishonestly.

The hearing continues.