Dentist struck off for NHS fraud

Shabbir Merchant was jailed for 18 months

A north London dentist jailed for defrauding the NHS of £200,000 has been struck off.

Shabbir Merchant, 40, filed false bills for expensive dental work that he never did on hundreds of patients, and used the money to fund a life of luxury.

He was jailed for 18 months at Southwark Crown Court in February after pleading guilty to 20 sample counts of obtaining money transfers by deception.

The General Dental Council struck him off at a hearing on Friday.

In February Merchant pleaded guilty to 20 charges of obtaining money transfers by deception, totalling £197,997.78.

A further £101,383.14 worth of charges were taken into consideration by the court.

Merchant had pretended to carry out expensive dental work on hundreds of patients when all he gave them was an occasional filling.

He used the money to fund a life of luxury, splashing out on a Ferrari and a string of properties, Southwark Crown Court heard.

Asset confiscation

Stephen McKenzie, manager of the NHS Counter Fraud Service dental fraud team said: "We are pleased with today's judgement. It illustrates that fraud against the NHS will not be tolerated by the dental profession.

"Merchant's greed means he has lost his business, his liberty and now his career, and next week, the court will decide how much he must repay the NHS."

An asset confiscation hearing will be held on Monday 17 July 2006 at Guildford Crown Court.