Local dentist given official warning from General Dental Council

Dr Byron Tsivos' overall conduct had 'fallen below the standard expected'

A dentist working on the Isle of Man has been placed under 'warning' following an investigation sparked by complaints from a patient.

Dr Byron Tsivos was formally warned by the General Dental Council on 20 June after a probe by the authority.  

The GDC ruled - amongst other measures - he must:

• Check that all dental equipment is used and monitored appropriately, during and after a procedure, to ensure patient safety is always taken into consideration
• Ensure that patients who require diagnostic investigations, and/or specialist treatment, are referred within the appropriate timescale and in accordance with current guidelines
• Ensure that if patients ask for access to their records he must arrange for this promptly in accordance with the current Data Protection, or similar, legislation

In its report the GDC revealed the case related to information received about the standard of treatment provided by Dr Tsivos to one patient between March and October 2020. 

Case examiners considered an allegation that Dr Tsivos' fitness to practise was impaired by reason of misconduct due to matters relating to the loss of a dental bur during a procedure, failure to appropriately refer for further treatment, the management of the patient’s condition, antibiotic practice and record keeping. 

They determined that there was 'a real prospect of most of the facts alleged being found proved' by a practice committee and 'a real prospect of the statutory ground of misconduct capable of being established'. 

The examiners found that 'the risk of repetition is low and concluded that there is no real prospect of the registrant’s current fitness to practise being found to be impaired by a practice committee'. 

However, they concluded that there was evidence to suggest that the registrant’s overall conduct had fallen below the standard expected to a degree warranting a formal response from the GDC. 

It was therefore determined that it would be 'appropriate and proportionate' to issue a warning, for a period of 12 months, for allegedly breaching the GDC ‘Standards for the Dental Team’ provisions that govern him as a dental professional and to indicate that this conduct should not be repeated.

Manx Radio asked Manx Care to respond to the General Dental Council's judgement. 

In a statement it told us: "Manx Care was contacted by the General Dental Council in April 2022 to ask if the owner was on the Isle of Man Dental Performer’s List. 

"This was in connection to a complaint received by the GDC regarding private treatment.

"Other than a query from GDC in April 2022 regarding this dentist being on the Isle of Man, in relation to a complaint regarding private treatment, Manx Care have not received anything from the GDC in connection with this matter.

"Manx Care will be raising this important issue with both the General Dental Council and the dentist concerned.

"There is a requirement for a dentist providing NHS dental services to inform Manx Care of any registration issues as soon as they are aware."

You can read the judgement in full HERE.

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UPDATE 11 July - Manx Radio has received the following update from Manx Care on this story:

Manx Care were contacted by the General Dental Council (GDC) originally in October 2021 and again in April 2022 to ask if the owner was on the Isle of Man Dental Performer’s List and whether Manx Care had any concerns regarding the dentist’s fitness to practice (Manx Care were not aware of any fitness to practice concerns). This was in connection to a complaint received by the GDC regarding private treatment. 

We wrote to you with the following statement (which we believed to be factually correct at the time): 

“Manx Care were contacted by the General Dental Council (GDC) in April 2022 to ask if the owner was on the Isle of Man Dental Performer’s List. This was in connection to a complaint received by the GDC regarding private treatment. Other than a query from GCD in April 2022 regarding this dentist being on the Isle of Man, in relation to a complaint regarding private treatment, Manx Care have not received anything from the GDC in connection with this matter. Manx Care will be raising this important issue with both the General Dental Council and the dentist concerned. There is a requirement for a dentist providing NHS dental services to inform Manx Care of any registration issues as soon as they are aware.“

However, on further investigation, Manx Care can confirm that the owner had originally contacted Manx Care in June 2021 to notify of the complaint against him and since Manx Care published this response, he has explained to Manx Care that he had not been made aware of the outcome of the GDC’s investigation himself until 24 June, when he was away on holiday, and it was his intention to inform Manx Care on his return to the Island in a pre-planned meeting with Manx Care on 08 July (which was then postponed due to unforeseen travel arrangements). 

An update regarding the patient continuity plan will be issued shortly.