Senior dentist disciplined for missing oral cancer
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- Published: Tuesday, 21 August 2012 11:52
- Written by News Editor
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A senior dentist has been placed on a year-long supervision order after failing to report an enormous, cancerous ulcer in a patient s mouth. Dr Donald Macfarlane should have urgently referred the patient who died months later to a specialist, but the 3cm ulcer was incorrectly diagnosed as being the result of an injury. Glasgow University, which sends dental students to Mr Macfarlane for work placements, is suspending the arrangement for the next year. |
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The dentist, who is employed by NHS Ayrshire and Arran, will have to be supervised by a senior colleague at his practice in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire. Mr Macfarlane, from Glasgow, was disciplined for misconduct at a hearing of the General Dental Council (GDC), which said the dentist s failings represented a real harm to patients . The 54-year-old patient was identified only as a psychologist from Germany who smoked up to 15 cigarettes a day and drank moderately. The GDC said Mr Macfarlane failed to ensure [the patient] was provided with adequate smoking cessation advice . Mr Macfarlane also failed to ensure the patient was urgently referred for specialist opinion .
The dentist admitted all charges but denied the patient complained of swelling in April 2010, the third time he saw him. The cancer was only uncovered after the patient went to see another dentist. The patient died in February 2011, and his wife complained to the GDC.
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