Tribunal reprimands and suspends dental practitioner

31 Jan 2017

The Western Australian State Administrative Tribunal (the tribunal) has reprimanded Miss Natasha Abel and suspended her dental registration for professional misconduct.

On 15 October 2014, Miss Abel was charged with three counts of conspiracy to sell/supply a prohibited drug (methyl-amphetamine) under section 33(2)(a) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1981 (WA).

Miss Abel was first registered as a dental practitioner in Australia in December 2012. Miss Abel disclosed the charges to the Dental Board of Australia (the Board) in November 2014.

On 18 May 2015, Miss Abel pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment suspended for a period of 18 months.

On 24 June 2016, the Board referred the matter to the tribunal.

During the course of the tribunal proceedings, Ms Abel admitted that she behaved in a way that constitutes professional misconduct, which included her failure to notify the Board within seven days of the charges being laid in contravention of the National Law.*

On 13 December 2016, the tribunal ordered that Miss Abel be reprimanded, her registration be suspended for a period of one month from 23 December 2016 and that she pay a contribution towards the Board’s costs, fixed in the sum of $500.

The decision is published on the tribunal website.

*The Health Practitioner National Law, as in force in each state and territory.