Dishonest dentist struck off after falsifying records and NHS claims

a DENTIST has been struck-off after dishonestly claiming payment from the NHS for treatments he had not carried out and for failing to provide adequate treatment to two of his patients.

Brendan McCanny was suspended for 18 months while claims against him were investigated and will have his name struck from the profession’s register for five years, as a result of the findings of the General Dental Council’s professional conduct committee (PCC).

Mr McCanny, who practised at two addresses in South Queensferry from 1983 to 2009 and was registered at an address in Dublin Street Lane South in Edinburgh, faced charges of claiming payments from the NHS for treatments he had not given, claiming payments for more expensive treatment than he had carried out, and failing to secure prior approval for some treatments.

The PCC also found that between 2004 and 2009, he had failed to carry out adequate x-ray examinations of two patients, failing to identify areas of tooth decay, which meant they needed more invasive treatment when it was discovered.

He did not attend the hearing in London earlier this month, where it was agreed to strike him from the register.

The PCC’s report said: “Mr McCanny made claims to NHS Scotland which the committee identified as being dishonest in a number of ways.

He claimed remuneration for work which he had not carried out. He falsified his clinical record cards to support some of his dishonest claims. He claimed for higher remuneration than that to which he was entitled.”

It added: “He embarked upon treatment without obtaining the necessary prior approval from NHS Scotland. He then manipulated the claims to make it appear that prior approval was not required thereby avoiding scrutiny by NHS Scotland.”

The committee also found that the two patients, who were not named, had needed “more extensive and invasive treatment” as a result of his failure to treat them adequately.

The PCC’s report said: “Mr McCanny’s dishonest behaviour persisted for a number of years. He abused the trust placed in him by both the NHS and patients . . . The NHS depends upon practitioners’ honesty. This dishonest behaviour clearly amounted to misconduct.”

He was originally suspended in May 2010, and that suspension was renewed in May this year. His removal from the register will last for five years, after which he will be able to apply to re-join, though he will be subject to assessment before he is allowed to practice again.

The decision is subject to appeal, and if no appeal is made, his name will be removed from the register on December 13.

The hearing related to time Mr McCanny spent at 10 High Street from 1983 to 2008, and at 1 Bellstane from 2008 and April 2009. The former no longer exists, and the current dental practice in Bellstane is unconnected with Mr McCanny.

Mr McCanny could not be contacted for comment.