ROSSOUW: DIDN’T HE DO WELL? DENTIST MUST WORK UNDER CONDITIONS

A dentist who claimed big-chinned celebrities Jimmy Hill and Bruce Forsyth have a medical condition has been banned from carrying orthodontic work on adults for three years.

Francois Rossouw used a special brace of his own invention after diagnosing two patients with serious jaw problems.

But he failed to get their full consent because he did not explain his remedy was unconventional, the General Dental Council heard.

At a previous hearing, Rossouw denied diagnosing ‘severe class three malocclusion’, adding: ‘Jimmy Hill and Bruce Forsyth – that’s a severe class three.’

A third patient was fitted with two ‘fused’ crowns without her consent

Rossouw was found guilty of a total of 31 charges including not acting in his patients’ best interest, unprofessional treatment of three patients and poor record-keeping.

In its ruling, a misconduct panel said the dentist’s actions ‘demonstrate a serious departure from acceptable standards of conduct’.

It said he was guilty of ‘unnecessary radiography, failures to secure informed consent for treatment, and inappropriate and, on one occasion, potentially dangerous, treatment.’

The judgement continued: ‘The Committee is satisfied that you still do not have the
degree of insight into your ability to evaluate treatments, particularly those which fall outside mainstream dentistry.’

Rossouw, who graduated from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, in 1979, will be subject to restrictions for three years.

The conditions include a ban on orthodontic treatment of adults and treating jaw pain except with mouth guards and diet advice.

He must also nominate a colleague, who will regularly update the GDC on his work, to act as a mentor.

The panel decided against imposing a harsher penalty after receiving 153 testimonials from patients and staff.

The incidents took place at his dental surgery in Halstead Road, Lexden Heath, Colchester, Essex, between June 2003 and June 2007.

In 2008, Rossouw escaped punishment after he was found guilty of giving trainee police officer Anna Hitchcock ‘inappropriate and irreversible treatment’ which left her suffering severe jaw pain.

ends