A dentist who lived a secret double life dealing i
A dentist who lived a secret double life dealing in crack cocaine in the evening while filling teeth by day was struck off today.
(MON)
Rajesh Parmar, 29, slept in ‘crack houses’ in his hometown of Leicester where he was known by the street name ‘Face’.
Parmar, an addict for four years, strayed from a respectable career of dentistry into the twilight world of drug pushers and prostitutes.
Parmar, now awaiting an arranged marriage, told the hearing he found the ‘buzz’ of smoking crack more exciting than the traditional dentists’ pursuit of golf.
According to Parmar the company of ‘low-life’ was a thrilling contrast to his own ‘closed’ upbringing and his ‘lonely and bored’ existence.
Having graduated in 1995, he started smoking crack three times a week during an 18-month stint living in Brixton, the General Dental Council in London heard.
He lived a lie telling his drug dealer and prostitute friends he was a physiotherapy student.
Parmar told the GDC there was never a chance they would have realised he was a dentist as his friends ‘weren’t interested in oral hygiene.
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During spells living in Sidcup and Essex, his deteriorating work performance led him to return to his parental home in Leicester in late 1998.
After several drug free months Parmar lapsed and sought out the company of crack smokers, buying drugs for his new ‘friends.
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Lydia Barnfather for the GDC said: ‘He explained that every time drugs were purchased he provided the money.
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But during one of his regular weekend trips to a crackhouse last year he was attacked by a drugdealer known by the street name ‘T.
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Parmar was punched and forced to hand over his wallet.
He was taken to a cash machine where the dealer discovered Parmar’s account was empty.
Parmar then agreed to drive them to a cash till to try again.
But on the way to the ATM police stopped the car following an anonymous 999 call.
Parmar, however, refused to press charges and no criminal proceedings were brought.
But Parmar, who has still not informed his mother of his shady dealings, told the hearing: ‘I wish to avoid any publicity a court case would bring as it would seriously affect my personal and professional life.
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His own counsel, Christina Lambert asked him why ‘go back to taking drugs’ when he could ‘take up golf.
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Parmar replied: ‘Looking back during this time in Brixton, I found it exciting, more than anything else.
I was still socialising with other people and doing other activities, but I found these other activities not to be as interesting.
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But Parmar, who currently works as a locum at the Family Dental Care Centre, Nottingham says he has kicked the drugs habit and taken up golfing.
He also pays regular visits to the gym.
Parmar, of (34) Lamborne Road, West Knighton, Leicester, admitted serious professional misconduct.
One charge stated that he demonstrated an inappropriate standard of personal behaviour in that he used a controlled drug, namely crack cocaine, over a period of 3 to 4 years at least up until 27th August, 2000 while continuing to practise as a dentist as an associate in practices in or around Brixton, Sidcup, Essex and Nottingham.
A second charge stated ‘on 26th August 2000, he drove to the Highfield area of Leicester for the purpose of obtaining and using crack cocaine, provided crack cocaine to third parties, and used crack cocaine.
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Professor Nairn Wilson, chairman of the professional conduct committee told him: ‘By reason of your behaviour involving the misuse of Class A drugs over a period of several years and your acceptance that the charges which you have admitted constitute serious professional misconduct which can only bring the profession into disrepute, the committee considers it appropriate to direct the registrar to erase the name of Rajesh Amrit Parmar from the dentist’s register.
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Parmar was told he has 28 days to appeal.
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