£15,000 in fines and costs from prosecutions in November

During the month, the GDC’s Illegal Practice team prosecuted five tooth whitening cases – including one for a serious repeat offender and two further cases of practicing dentistry without being on the register of dental professionals.

Prominent cases included:

Victoria Sheppard-Jones, interim head of illegal practice at the GDC said: “The level of successful prosecutions and fines this month shows that the courts take issues of illegal dentistry seriously.

“Whether this is carrying out tooth whitening without the proper training … or offering complex services without being on the register of dental professionals, when the evidential and public interest test is met the GDC will prosecute to protect the public.

“If anyone is considering dental treatment, such as tooth whitening, we encourage individuals to check our online register and ensure that anyone offering this service is registered, trained and qualified to do the work safely”