A dentist's actions and decision-making "fell far below" that of a "reasonably competent" practitioner, a misconduct hearing has been told.
Ana-Maria Teodorescu, who worked at Manor House Dental Practice in Long Stratton until July last year, is accused of a catalogue of failures between 2016 and 2018.
She first appeared before a General Dental Council (GDC) hearing in 2018 after a fellow dentist and 30 patients raised concerns.
There, it was alleged Miss Teodorescu had carried out "poor treatment” over “an extended period of time”.
On Monday, a full GDC inquiry into her conduct finally began and is set to continue for two weeks.
Miss Teodorescu faces nine charges relating to 25 patients, including:
- Failing to accurately diagnose pain
- Failing to obtain consent prior to removing a patient's tooth
- Failing to treat a patient with compassion
She denies most of the charges, although accepts she did not take radiographs and provided a poor standard of treatment to one individual, known as Patient A.
Natasha Tahta, lawyer for the GDC, explained on Monday that Patient A attended Manor House in May 2017, complaining of wisdom tooth pain.
Miss Teodorescu examined him and diagnosed that he needed two fillings, but told him there needed to be two instances of pain before treatment could take place for wisdom teeth.
"Patient A explains in his statement that one filling fell out approximately 40 minutes after he left the surgery," Ms Tahta said. "Miss Teodorescu then replaced it with a composite one."
Patient A's pain persisted and he returned to the surgery in June 2017, when he was told his wisdom teeth extractions had to be done in hospital and that the waiting time was 16 weeks.
The hearing heard Patient A - unable to cope with his pain - went back again to the surgery around 10 weeks later and was seen by a different dentist.
This dentist took radiographs and informed Patient A that the cause of his pain was decay on the tooth he originally went to see Miss Teodorescu about.
"He was told the wisdom tooth could be removed under local anaesthetic at the surgery," continued Ms Tahta.
"The dentist also informed Patient A there was decay on the teeth beneath the fillings Miss Teodorescu had put in."
Patient A subsequently complained to the surgery and then to the GDC in April 2018, after which expert David Ward concluded Miss Teodorescu had failed twice to take radiographs which would have pinpointed the cause of the pain.
Speaking directly to Patient A, Miss Teodorescu said: "I am sorry for everything. I am sorry if I have produced any distress to you but it was not my intention.”
The hearing continues on Tuesday.
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