A north-east dentist accused of “misleading and dishonest” behaviour while conducting a root canal treatment that caused “avoidable irreversible damage” to a patient appeared before a disciplinary hearing yesterday.
Greek-born Dimitrios Dimitrakopoulos carried out the work between January 16, and January 22, 2013, when working at Cove Dental Care in Aberdeen.
Dr Dimitrakopoulos, whose address was listed in the charge sheet as 35 Portland Street, Aberdeen, now works for Balmoor Dental Practice in Peterhead.
Yesterday he appeared before a substantive hearing conducted by a practice committee of the General Dental Council (GDC) in London, charged with a litany of offences in regards to the procedure more than two years ago.
Before beginning the work he is alleged to have failed to tell the patient, known simply as Patient A, that the work would be done privately and not on the NHS, or to have obtained a full history of symptoms.
His alleged failure to tell the patient about the availability of NHS treatment could be found to be “misleading” and “dishonest” by the GDC.
When he began the work it is further alleged that he “excessively removed critical tooth structure from the base of the pulp”, “caused unnecessary and avoidable irreversible damage”, “failed to take radiographic examinations during the procedure” and “failed to take any or any appropriate action to resolve the situation having removed excessive tooth structure”, among other charges.
His records are also alleged to “contain insufficient detail” in respect to the patient’s medical history, his clinical justification for the treatment and his discussions of the risks and benefits.
Dr Dimitrakopoulos has worked at a number of dental practices across the north-east including Old Town Dental Care in Aberdeen as well as at Cove.
An online biography on Dr Dimitrakopoulos at the Balmoor Dental Practice in Peterhead reads: “Dimitris (sic) graduated from the University of Dentistry in Athens in 2001.
“His main professional interests and strengths are restorative dentistry and endodontics.”
Asked if he still worked for the practice last night, a spokeswoman said: “He has not moved jobs yet, but he is in the process of it.”
Cove Dental Care declined to comment yesterday.
The hearing is expected to finish on Wednesday, May 1.