Dentist reprimanded after finding of unsatisfactory professional performance

22 Oct 2020

A dentist has been reprimanded after a tribunal found that he performed a procedure for which he did not have sufficient expertise or experience.

Among the Western Australia State Administrative Tribunal’s (the tribunal) findings were that, on 31 August 2017, Dr Justin Soon:

• performed gingival laser depigmentation incorrectly
• failed to initially treat a small patch of gingival tissue, and
• performed the procedure when he did not have sufficient expertise or experience of using a diode laser in gingival laser depigmentation.

The tribunal was satisfied that disciplinary action should be taken and was also critical of Dr Soon’s clinical record-keeping which did not meet dental practitioner obligations around health records in the Dental Board of Australia’s Code of conduct or the guidance in its Guidelines on dental records^1.

 The tribunal ordered that Dr Soon:

• be reprimanded
• have conditions on his registration that he must complete an education program, and
• provide a detailed reflective practice report to the Board.

Dr Soon was also ordered to pay $3,500 towards the Board’s costs.

The tribunal’s full decision and reasons will be published on the Austlii website.

¹The Board retired the Guidelines on dental records on 1 October 2020. New dental records resources, including a fact sheet, are now available.