Isle of Man dentist suspended by GDC
A dentist from Douglas on the Isle of Man has been suspended by the General Dental Council, it has been revealed.
Gunter Zimmerman, who was working at the 65 Woodbourne Dental Surgery, has been suspended for a period of six months, following a GDC hearing.
Mr Zimmerman was suspended following investigations into the treatment of an anonymous patient, known as Patient A at the hearing. The GDC panel found that Mr Zimmerman’s treatment of Patient A was “deficient” in several areas; the treatment, which took place in 2006, included dental implants in both the upper and lower jaws, teeth extractions and the insertion of implant-supported restorations, including an upper bridge. The GDC claimed that Zimmerman provided the treatment without identifying the patient’s medical and social history and failed to obtain the patient’s consent to go ahead with the extensive treatment. Zimmerman provided the treatments, despite the fact that they are not available on the NHS.
The panel also said that Zimmerman did not explain the risks associated with the treatment to the patient and claimed that the permanent bridge was not in the patient’s best interests, especially as she did not know that the treatment was being carried out. The GDC also found that Zimmerman failed to keep appropriate records of the treatment and was uninsured at the time of the procedure; Zimmerman admitted that he had allowed his policy to lapse and said that he failed to explain this to Patient A at the time.
The panel claimed that there were no concerns about Mr Zimmerman’s NHS work and is now working alongside his employer to ensure minimum disruption is caused for patients at the 65 Woodbourne Dental Surgery.
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