The College prosecuted a dentist for administering unauthorized and improper sedation to ten minor patients, including three under the age of three, while lacking the requisite authorization and specialty training and, on many occasions, after his minimal sedation authorization had been cancelled.
The panel accepted admissions that the registrant treated patients beyond his competence, contravened the sedation standard of practice and recordkeeping requirements, and engaged in conduct reasonably regarded by members of the profession as disgraceful, dishonourable, unprofessional or unethical.
Applying the joint-submission public-interest standard, the panel accepted an agreed penalty that included a reprimand, a three-month suspension, remedial recordkeeping education, practice monitoring, and costs.
The panel emphasized the vulnerability of the pediatric patients, the repeated nature of the misconduct, and the registrant’s undertaking never to administer or seek authorization for sedation in future.
