A Ross-shire dental technician has been suspended after making false claims about his abilities.
Andrew Wilby pretended he was a cosmetic denture specialist, and advertised he was able to fit soft linings for dentures – despite the skill being outside his scope.
Mr Wilby, who owned Highland Mobile Dentures Ltd in Ross-shire, had also agreed to make a set of upper and lower dentures for a patient in May last year.
The General Dental Council (GDC) held a hearing after the claims came to light, and ruled his actions were inappropriate and misleading, and put patients at risk.
The panel has now suspended him from practicing for a year.
In their ruling, they stated: “The committee was satisfied that Mr Wilby’s actions were a clear breach of the standards that he was expected to adhere to as a registered dental profession.
“In making inappropriate, misleading dishonest statements in his advertising and agreeing to provide services outside his scope of practice, Mr Wilby failed to comply with the clear guidance for dental technicians.”
The watchdog ruled his fitness to practice was impaired because he “put patients at risk” and said a suspension was the only appropriate sanction as there was a “real risk of repetition” since Mr Wilby showed “little sign of remorse and insight into his behaviour”.
He formerly lived in Maryburgh but is understood to have moved away in April.
He could not be contacted for comment.
After his year-long suspension is up, a review will be held as to whether Mr Wilby should be restored to the register.