By law all dentists, dental nurses, dental technicians, clinical dental technicians, dental hygienists, dental therapists and orthodontic therapists must be registered with the GDC to work in the UK. This is to ensure only appropriately qualified and skilled dental professionals are part of the dental team looking after patients.
On Friday October 25, 2013 Young Jun Suh appeared at Hammersmith Magistrates' Court and pleaded guilty to unlawfully practising dentistry contrary to section 38 (1) and (2) of the Dentists Act 1984 and unlawfully carrying on the business of dentistry contrary to section 41 (1) of the Dentists Act 1984.
He was fined £1000, ordered to pay a £100 victim surcharge and £85 towards the GDC's costs.
Mr Suh was previously prosecuted by the GDC on 4 May 2011 for two counts of practising dentistry whilst not being registered, having previously been suspended by the GDC. As a consequence of this prosecution Mr Suh was erased from the register on 20 December 2011.
On January 13, 2012 Mr Suh was prosecuted by the NHS and pleaded guilty to 28 counts of Fraud and Theft from the NHS totalling £109,000. He was sentenced to two years imprisonment and remains on licence until January 13, 2014.
The GDC subsequently received information that Mr Suh was seeing patients at Camberwell Dental Practice, 214 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton despite remaining unregistered and being on licence.
As a result of this prosecution Mr Suh has been recalled to prison. It is anticipated that he will serve the remainder of his prison sentence which expires in February 2014.
This prosecution is a result of joint co-operation and working between the GDC and the Metropolitan Police Territorial Support Group.
Patients can check that their dental professional is registered by visiting the GDC website: www.gdc-uk.org .