AN AWARD winning dentist has been suspended from practicing for a year over the way he handled a complaint from a patient about their treatment.

Shabirakhter Patel, from Magicsmiles Dental Studios in Cherry Tree, Blackburn, was found at a public hearing to have sent letters which were 'aggressive' in tone in response to a patients concerns about her treatment.

He also sent invoices which included charges for the 'processing of information' and 'professional correspondence' in relation to the concerns raised.

Documents released by the General Dental Council (GDC) said the the letters included 'wholly inappropriate comments and charges for very significant amounts of money, that were clearly threatening and inappropriate'.

In one letter on December, 15, 2015, Patel, whose practice was named 'Best Practice in the North West at the 2011Dentistry Awards, wrote: "Please pay the outstanding account immediately.

"The total balance outstanding on your account is £10,996 and needs to be paid immediately or the account will be passed on to a debt collection agency and notice is given that we will apply for a statutory order for the debt."

A committee of the GDC also noted that together with the letter, Patel attached an article titled “'Barrister who 'abused position' by threatening to sue dentist loses'.

Other failings Patel was found guilty of included the failure to investigate 'adequately' the cause of pain complained of by a patient or adequately record the extent of the investigations that were carried out.

One the same day December 10, 2014, Patel was also found to have failed to take an X-ray of the patient's upper left jaw.

A number of other charges were found unproved, or withdrawn by the committee, during a recent hearing of the GDC in London.

The charges relate to a series of appointments that took place between October 2013 and July 2015.

Documents released by the GDC said: "The committee carefully considered whether a period of suspension would be appropriate in a case such as this one.

"The aggravating features in this case, were namely - very serious matters including dishonesty; your actions bringing the profession into disrepute; you brought emotional, physical and potential financial harm to Patient A; aggressive and threatening behaviour over a sustained period of nine months; and a lack of remediation and insight into your aggressive and dishonest conduct."

Suspending Patel for 12 months, the committee, concluded: "In all the circumstances, the committee has determined that it is appropriate and proportionate to suspend your registration for a period of 12 months.

"The committee considers this the minimum period sufficient to mark the seriousness of your conduct, that will protect the public interest. "

The sanction comes after Magicsmiles became the town's first award-winning surgery, clinching the Best Practice in the North West title at the 2011 Dentistry Awards, after two top-10 finishes in the Private Dentistry Awards.

Patel, a dentist of over two decades experience, set up private clinic Magicsmiles in 2008 to treat people aged 18 and above after becoming frustrated with NHS services.

Both Patel and Magicsmiles were unavailable for comment when contacted by the Lancashire Telegraph.