Aide suspended for unsupervised dental procedure

Aide suspended for unsupervised dental procedure

An oral-health therapist has been suspended for 24 months for performing dental procedures on a patient without the supervision of a dentist.

Dr Jimmy Yap Eng Huat - the dentist who should have put in place protocol to prevent Ms Lim Jingyi from performing dental procedures in his absence on July 28, 2011 - was fined $10,000 and asked to pay the costs and expenses of, and incidental to, the proceedings.

Both were practising at Nam Fung Dental Surgery in Geylang Road.

A disciplinary inquiry by the Singapore Dental Council, the profession's watchdog, said that both Dr Yap and Ms Lim faced one charge each of professional misconduct under the Dental Registration Act.

Under Section 21A(4) of the Act, it is stated that a dental assistant must be supervised by the registered dental practitioner during practice.

Ms Lim pleaded guilty to the charge against her on Oct 30 last year, while Dr Yap contested his charge. His contest was overturned by the council.

Ms Lim's suspension took effect last Wednesday.

soonws@sph.com.sg


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