A DENTIST from Dinas Powys has been struck off for a string of hygiene failings including re-using equipment between patients and not disposing of clinical waste at his home.

Mark Wyn Roberts was proved guilty of 21 charges at a hearing of the Professional Conduct Committee of the General Dental Council which took place between October 9 and October 20 in London.

Mr Roberts worked at a dental practice in the Splott area of Cardiff.

The charges related to re-using single local anaesthetic cartridges, single use endodontic files, a syringe and other dental equipment.

He was also found not have changed his gloves and mask between patients as well as failing to ensure that dental instruments and equipment were adequately cleaned.

He was proved guilty of not separating used and unused equipment in storage and inappropriately storing syringes pre-loaded with local anaesthetic.

He was also found guilty of storing out of date drugs and failing to adequately manage the risk of mercury spillage and failing to ensure clinical waste was properly disposed.

Staff did not undergo induction or training into infection control, records were not kept up to date and there were numerous counts of failing to provide an adequate standard of care.

Mr Roberts was the sole principal dentist of Splott Road Dental Surgery until November 1, 2014 when he sold it to Integrated Dental Holdings (IDH)

Mr Roberts continued working at the practice as an associate until February 2015.

Following the purchase of the practice, concerns were raised with IDH staff who were involved in the transition process.

This led to further investigations being undertaken by IDH and the health board and the concerns were then referred to the GDC.

Jonathan Green, executive director of fitness to practise at the General Dental Council, said: "The General Dental Council’s role is to protect patients and help to ensure the public has confidence in dental services.

"One of the ways we do this is by regulating dental professionals.

"The failings in the case of Mark Roberts are serious and go to the heart of our role in protecting the public.

"Mr Roberts has repeatedly exposed patients and members of staff to risk of infection over a considerable period of time and demonstrated a lack insight into his conduct and remorse.

"Mr Roberts has shown a clear disregard for the standards for dental professionals, which are designed to protect patients, and his removal from the register reflects our commitment to patient protection and maintaining public confidence in dental services."

A number of aggravating factors were identified by the committee including the risk of significant harm to patients and staff, the breach of the trust that patients had placed in him and could reasonably expect of a clinical dentist, the sustained and repeated misconduct over a significant period of time and blatant disregard for the fundamental standards regulating the profession.