Dental nurses removed from dental register for fraud

They were suspended immediately. Lucy Molloy and Stacey Crook both made fraudulent insurance claims following a premeditated car crash.

Miss Molloy was convicted at Carlisle Crown Court of dishonestly making false representation to make gain for self/another to cause loss to other/expose other to risk on May 13, 2016. She was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, was required to carry out unpaid work for 100 hours and was ordered to pay compensation of £2,000 and a victim surcharge of £80.

Miss Crook was convicted at Carlisle Crown Court of dishonestly making false representation to make gain for self/another to cause loss to other/expose other to risk on June 17, 2016. She was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, was required to carry out unpaid work for 75 hours and ordered to pay compensation of £1,000 and a pay victim surcharge of £80.

Both Miss Molloy and Miss Crook were suspended by the General Dental Council, meaning they were unable to work as dental professionals, whilst the criminal investigation was ongoing. Following their convictions, a Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) hearing to assess their fitness to practice took place on August 17. Neither party was present or represented.

A spokesperson from the PCC said that the committee had considered the serious nature of Miss Crook’s and Miss Molloy’s convictions which relate to, “dishonest conduct that appears to have been premeditated, involving others and potentially exposing them to risk.” They added that they had also, “obtained money from an insurance company based on false representations”.

The PCC outlined that the convictions were for dishonesty. It also highlighted that the standards expected of all dental professionals, as outlined in the Standards for the Dental Team, were not met. These included acting with honesty and integrity and ensuring that an individual’s conduct justifies patients’ and the public’s trust.

The PCC then decided that, due to the “gravity of the conviction”, Miss Molloy and Miss Crook should be removed from the register of dental professionals – and suspended immediately – meaning that neither can practise in the United Kingdom.

Jonathan Green, executive director for fitness to practise at the General Dental Council (GDC), said, “The General Dental Council’s role is to protect patients, regulate dental professionals and ensure the public has confidence in dental services. All dental professionals are expected to uphold the standards outlined in our Standards for the Dental Team. These include ensuring that the public can have confidence in you as a professional, and dental services.

“These are standards that were not met by Miss Molloy or Miss Crook. The PCC believed that the practitioners’ actions potentially undermined patients’ confidence in dentistry and therefore the only suitable sanction was to remove both dental nurses from the register. This means that they are both unable to work as dental nurses in the United Kingdom.”