GDC prosecutes company for illegal tooth whitening
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- Published: Monday, 15 August 2016 08:05
- Written by News Editor
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The General Dental Council (GDC) has successfully prosecuted a limited company and a woman from Hertfordshire, for illegal tooth whitening and carrying out dentistry while not on the dental register. In only the second prosecution of a limited company, BeauSynergy and Michelle Chapman pleaded guilty at a hearing at St Albans Magistrates' Court.
BeauSynergy was fined £2000 and ordered to pay a £200 victim surcharge, as well as paying GDC's costs of £2003.76. Michelle Chapman was given a conditional discharge and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £15. On top of this, Ms Chapman was also made to pay costs GDC's costs of £667.
Speaking about the case Francesca Keen, Head of Illegal Practice at the GDC said: "This is a particularly significant case for the GDC. We have so far been very successful in our prosecution of individuals practising dentistry illegally while not on the register. But, to be able to successfully prosecute our second limited company represents another breakthrough in our duty to protect the public.
"Illegal teeth whitening, as we will continue to say, poses a risk to the public. Tooth whitening is a dental treatment and if somebody is carrying this out without being registered with the GDC, they are a risk to the public. We have seen cases where victims are left with permanent damage to their teeth because the individual who carried out their treatment was neither qualified nor had the skill to carry out the treatment safely.
"To have now stopped not just one individual, but also a limited company from carrying out illegal tooth whitening continues to be step forward in our commitment to protect the public. We strongly recommend anybody considering tooth whitening to first check our online register at www.gdc-uk.org to ensure that the individual is a registered, trained and qualified dental professional."
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