Celebrity dentist, Surinder Hundle, of TV's 10 Years Younger fame has had conditions placed on his registration by the General Dental Council (GDC) that include having a chaperone when treating female patients.
The conditions were imposed for 18 months by the interim order committee (IOC) of the GDC and follow allegations made against him by a patient (Patient A).
The GDC summary, addressing the London-based cosmetic dentist, reads: ‘You have admitted having had a sexual relationship with Patient A between about 2006 and September 2008. There are conflicting versions of events, in particular, about whether you or patient A initiated the relationship, and which of you ended the relationship.
‘Boundaries were transgressed so as to raise questions of public protection and the public interest. Any such behaviour must tend to bring the profession into disrepute because a sexual relationship between a dentist and his patient constitutes a breach of appropriate boundaries.'
It continues: ‘Your counsel told this committee that Patient A first came to you as a patient after seeing you in the media, and was resolved to have a relationship with you. In view of your high media profile, this is something that could happen again, and if it were to happen again, there is a risk to patients that you might again breach appropriate sexual boundaries.
'In all the circumstances, the committee has concluded that it is necessary for the protection of the public, in the public interest and in your own interests that an interim order is imposed upon your registration.'
The conditions included:
• Mr Hundle must notify the GDC promptly of any professional appointment he accepts and provide the contact details of his employer and any PCT on whose Dental Performers List he is included
• Mr Hundle must inform the GDC if he applies for employment outside the UK
• Mr Hundle must allow the GDC to exchange information with his employer, or any organisation for which he provides dental services
• Except in life-threatening emergencies, Mr Hundle must not undertake consultations with female patients without a chaperone present. The chaperone must be a fully registered healthcare practitioner.
Mr Hundle must also maintain a log, detailing:
• Every case where he has undertaken a consultation with a female patient, which must be signed by the chaperone
• Every case where he has undertaken a consultation with a female patient in a life-threatening emergency without a chaperone present
• Any other direct contact with a female patient outside the surgery whether by telephone, email, text, letter or other means. He must provide a copy of these logs to the GDC every two months or, alternatively, confirm in writing to the GDC that there have been no such cases during that period.
Mr Hundle must, within one week, inform the following parties that his registration is subject to the conditions above:
• Any organisation or person employing or contracting with him to undertake dental work
• Any locum agency or out-of-hours service with which he is registered or applies to be registered (at the time of application)
• Any prospective employer (at the time of application)
• Any PCT in whose Dental Performers List he is included, or is seeking inclusion (at the time of application).
Mr Hundle must permit the GDC to disclose the above conditions to any person requesting information about his registration status.
The conditions are imposed for 18 months and will be reviewed within six months. Dr Hundle can seek a review in three months, or earlier if new information comes to light.
Dr Hundle is director of Lund Osler, a dental practice in Knightsbridge, London, and appeared on the Channel 4 makeover programme, 10 Years Younger between 2004 and 2007. He has also been featured on other TV and radio programmes.
