Convicted dentist could get license back
A dentist who was found guilty of possessing child pornography may be able to get his license back, it has been revealed.
Mark Studenny was convicted in 2006 and lost his license to practise in 2007; police found 13 films featuring child pornography and almost 600 images of child pornography on his computer. In court, Studenny was labelled a threat to the public and was banned for an indefinite period of time.
However, Studenny appealed against the ban and sued the state; when a King County judge supported his case, it was referred to the state’s Dental Quality Assurance Commission. Last month, the Department of Health told Studenny he could reclaim his license but would face certain conditions; he will not be able to treat minors, he must take and pass a dental board examination and he is not allowed to own his own dental practice for three years; he must also comply with the stipulations of his probation at all times.
Many people have reacted angrily to the news that Studenny could soon be practising again and believe he is a danger to the public. Fred Quarnstrom, a member of the commission panel back in 2007 that was responsible for signing Studenny’s suspension said the decision to renew his license was ‘frustrating’ and questioned how the decision protected the public. Quarnstrom said that dentists had an important role to play in the community and patients should be able to trust their dentist implicitly; according to the original panel, Studenny betrayed this trust and should not be given a second chance.
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