Shropshire dentist 'broke wind' in front of patients

A dentist has been described as "appalling" after he allegedly broke wind, belched and swore in front of his patients at his former Shropshire practice, a hearing heard.

Matthew Walton, charged with misconduct, has been accused of walking behind the dentist's chair to flick V-signs at patients he did not like at Green End Dental Practice in Whitchurch between August 2006 and December 2007.

The General Dental Council in London yesterday heard how Walton repeatedly swore while struggling with his work and demanded some patients show him their wallet before treatment.

Giving evidence, dental nurse Nicola Groom said: "If they had status, if for example a doctor came in, he was fine, he would talk normally, respectfully.

"But if someone was, just to give an example, from a council estate, his whole attitude was completely different. He would show them no respect.

"If he didn't approve of what the patient was saying, or they were asking too many questions, he would go behind the dental chair so they could not see and do V-signs behind their backs."

The hearing was told the dentist belched in front of patients in waiting areas and in surgery.

The dentist is also accused of inappropriate behaviour towards patients on a number of occasions including pushing a five-year-old child out of his way in July 2007.

Christopher Holgate, the principal dentist at the practice, said he had never come across anything "remotely like" the complaints that reached him about Walton.

Walton admits belching and breaking wind in front of staff in the reception and waiting room areas but denies it happened "regularly" or that he did it during appointments or in front of patients.

He admits swearing in front of staff, but denied using foul language in front of patients, but he admitted he had sometimes stuck two fingers up behind the backs of staff and patients.

The dentist denies he spoke and behaved in a "rude and abrupt manner" to patients, or asked them to show him their money or pay ahead of treating them.

The hearing continues.