A senior dentist has been suspended after he told a female nurse that her eyes reminded him of the hypnotic snake Kaa from the animated Disney film, The Jungle Book.
According to Wales Online, a disciplinary hearing was told that “Tertius Alberts made the comparison of the woman's 'gorgeous' and 'lovely' eyes to the character on the first day he met her.”
He added, "If I look into them for too long I’ll get into trouble.”
The news outlet reported that “The senior dentist claimed he had just been trying to 'build a rapport' with a new colleague. But the dental nurse said his remarks made her feel 'awkward and uncomfortable'.
“Mr Alberts' comments were found to be 'completely unacceptable' and were ruled as 'unprofessional' and 'of a sexual nature' by the panel.
“The dentist - who had previously been warned over his behaviour towards a female colleague - has now been suspended from the profession for a year by the General Dental Council after being found guilty of misconduct.”
Mr Alberts, who worked at a practice in Thatcham, Berkshire, made the comments on two separate occasions in November 2020.
He admitted that his comments were inappropriate, however he denied that they were sexually motivated. Instead, he claimed that they were meant as 'light-hearted and compliments, intending to make [her] feel welcome' and 'establish a running joke in order to create a rapport'. As such, he told the committee he had no concerns about other staff members overhearing his comments.
According to Wales Online, he also told the committee that, as she was wearing a mask at the time, he was only able to compliment her eyes.
The female colleague provided a written statement for the disciplinary hearing; she explained that is was her first week at the practice and that the comments were first made the first time she met Mr Alberts. She was clear that she felt 'uncomfortable and awkward' as a result of the comments and found them to be 'over friendly'.
At the hearing, the committee concluded, "You commented on the personal appearance of a young female member of staff that had recently joined the practice. The committee considered that your choice of words about [her] eyes as being ‘lovely’ or ‘gorgeous’ are comments relating to her attractiveness, which were repeated on more than one occasion by you.
"An important feature in this case is that these comments were made to a young female by a substantially older, senior male colleague, who was in a position of trust at the practice.”
"The committee was concerned that over two days there was an emerging pattern of conduct demonstrating overt sexual interest.
"Your comments were personal and they signalled personal attraction.
"The members of staff that overheard the comments made by you did not consider them to be appropriate.
"Repeated comments on [her] eyes, and the suggestion that 'If I look into them for too long I’ll get into trouble' have sexual overtones and your purpose was to express that you found her sexually attractive.
"Your conduct in making remarks that are of a sexual nature fall far below the standards expected of a registered dentist.
"Your conduct, which the committee found to be unprofessional and of a sexual nature was repeated over two separate days, causing a colleague to feel uncomfortable.
"You were a senior practitioner and behaving in the manner that you have would be considered deplorable by the wider profession. It was completely unacceptable."
The committee heard Mr Alberts had 'shown little understanding' as to the seriousness of his sexual misconduct or its impact on the female colleague and still considered his comments to be ‘jokes’.