Blackburn woman's 'incompetent' dentist keeps job

10:15pm Thursday 24th July 2008

A BISHOP helped a bungling dentist keep his job after giving him a testimonial.

David Henthorn left a woman needing nine teeth extracted was incompetent but his ‘heart was in the right place,’ a misconduct hearing was told.

The General Dental Council said that Henthorn’s community would be denied a vital NHS dentist if he had been suspended or struck off.

Henthorn failed to diagnose or properly treat the mother-of-four from Blackburn, who was suffering from severe loss of tissue and wobbly teeth.

He had admitted a series of allegations in connection with the case.

But he denied making inappropriate comments to the 45-year-old when she visited his surgery in Chorley.

He was cleared of those allegations by the General Dental Council.

His solicitor asked the council to ‘salvage’ Henthorn’s career – and handed over a series of testimonials, including the Bishop of Burnley’s.

George Hugh-Jones, defending, said: “They all come from good sources.

When you read these testimonials you might agree with me that the NHS needs this kind of dentist.

“He does merit a rehabilitative approach.”

Mr Hugh-Jones said all of Henthorn’s actions ‘pointed towards remediation’.

Since the incident, Henthorn has been meeting regularly with a mentor, attended conferences and hit the textbooks in a bid to improve his knowledge.

“The dentist’s heart is in the right place but has fallen behind in is knowledge. You can salvage his career,” Mr Hugh Jones said.

Panel chair John Scott told the hearing Henthorn would have to work with a mentor to improve his radiography, periodontology and record keeping skills.

He will also have to improve his understanding of obtaining patient consent before carrying out procedures as well as referring more of his patients if he cannot cope with their problems.

Henthorn, based at Rawlinson House, Slack’s Lane, Heath Charnock, admitted failing to adequately diagnose, monitor and treat patient A’s periodontal disease and failing to take enough radiographs to assess the patient’s periodontal status.

Henthorn could be struck off if his fitness to practice is found to be impaired.

(proceeding)