British dentist stinks at his job

Dentist suspended after complaints of rude behaviour, passing gas around staff and patients

Something smells funny in a British dental practice and it’s not the laughing gas.

Matthew Walton, a 35-year-old dentist in Whitchurch, U.K., has been suspended for professional misconduct after co-workers filed a complaint with the General Dental Council about Walton’s rude behaviour in 2006 and 2007.

A dental nurse at the Green End Dental Practice claimed Walton enjoyed breaking wind in front of them during lunch and ignored her pleas for him to stop. Another nurse said the smell was so bad it sometimes made her sick. He was also accused of breaking wind and belching in front of patients, treating lower class patients disrespectfully and swearing in front of patients during procedures.

Co-workers also reported Walton asked poor patients for money up front and sometimes looked in their purses or wallets. Sometimes he made rude gestures behind patients when they were in the chair during appointments.

Walton admitted before the council his behaviour wasn’t appropriate but said he was frustrated at work. He also said his flatulence problem was “inadvertent.”

However, the council found Walton’s conduct was unprofessional and immediately suspended him “for the protection of the public.” It also announced it would remove him from the U.K.’s official dentist’s register in April.

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