Dentist's registration pulled

A dentist with 40 years' international experience has been struck off the dental register for work an expert described as below the standard of a fourth-year dentistry student.

The Health Practitioners' Disciplinary Tribunal took the rare step of cancelling the registration of Dr Qusay Aladdin - a dentist in Papatoetoe - after ruling that in two separate cases his actions amounted to negligence and professional misconduct. The cases involved complaints from patients about root canal and crown work.

Dr Aladdin, who did not appear at the hearings, got his bachelor's degree in dentist surgery from Baghdad University in 1976, and a PhD in applied oral biology from London University in 1985. He migrated to NZ in 1996 and bought an interest in the Papatoetoe Dental Centre in November 1999.

On September 1, his registration was cancelled and he was told he must return to university because his skills were so poor that no shorter course could re-train him sufficiently.

The tribunal said he must repeat a degree in dental surgery - a minimum of four years - preferably at Otago, if he wanted to practise in New Zealand again.

"Regrettably, Dr Aladdin's shortcomings are so profound and cover so many aspects of dentistry the tribunal believes he must be retrained as a dentist before he practises in New Zealand again."

It "appears to the tribunal Dr Aladdin responded to his patients and tried to do his best for them. Unfortunately, Dr Aladdin's level of competence is so low that his best efforts fall well below acceptable standards."

One complainant repeatedly went to see him in 2001 and 2002 for work on a new crown which had to be refitted at least three times.

The tribunal agreed with expert evidence that the crown was ill-fitting and the post Dr Aladdin used was too short and off-centre, ill-supporting and had weakened the tooth root structure.

It said Dr Aladdin's conduct "was so serious and inexcusable that a disciplinary sanction is warranted in order to protect the public, maintain professional standards and to punish Dr Aladdin".

The tribunal found there was a failure to "adhere to the most basic standards of dentistry. His errors were serious and inexcusable."

Another complainant, Linda Shen, went to Dr Aladdin in 2001 for root canal work on three teeth. She returned repeatedly because of pain which recurred until she left Dr Aladdin for another dentist, who referred her to a endodontist. The specialist spent eight months reconstructing the affected teeth.

Evidence was heard from Dr David Purton, a senior lecturer in dentistry, who said root-canal therapy was "a fundamental form of treatment" which a fourth-year dental student should be able to do.

The tribunal also said Dr Aladdin's record-keeping was inadequate, "used confusing and inappropriate terminology" and were unclear as to exactly what treatment was given.

Dental Association executive director John Crum said Baghdad University's dentistry course had a good reputation.

Dr Aladdin would have been examined by the Dental Council before he was placed on the register in New Zealand, and there were rigorous systems to make sure the qualifications of foreign-trained dentists were up to standard.

He said Dr Aladdin was not a member of the Dental Association, which represented 95 per cent of dentists, so would not have had the benefit of its training programmes.

Mr Crum said cancelling a dentist's registration was a very rare step, especially on grounds of competence. "It has serious consequences. He would lose his practice, his business, his livelihood."

In separate proceedings, Dr Aladdin had already been suspended from practice by the Dental Council in May for remedial training after a competence assessment. The assessment was done under new legislation which allows the council to act to check competence.

The Dentists Disciplinary Tribunal also considered the case and found he did not have the basic skills to practise dentistry in New Zealand, so suspended him from practising for three months.

Dr Aladdin was also ordered to pay nominal costs of $10,000 for the two hearings, for which total costs came to nearly $68,000.

The Herald understands Dr Aladdin left NZ to sell property he owned overseas and has since returned to dentistry education.