Dentist 'off target' with needle

Ms Chyzy admitted perforating a patient's nose

A dentist has admitted she was "off target" when she punctured a patient's nose with a needle.

Polish woman Joanna Chyzy, 34, who now lives in Collin, near Dumfries, was giving evidence to a misconduct hearing relating to her work in Somerset.

She admitted perforating the woman's nose but denied failure to obtain consent and failing to stop when the patient showed signs of distress.

The hearing before the General Dental Council continues.

Ms Chyzy told the hearing about treating the patient in April 2005.

She told me her throat was numb, she was going into a panic Joanna Chyzy

"I pulled up her lip, I accept I was off target with the tip of the syringe," she said.

She said the anaesthetic slipped down the woman's throat so she retracted the needle and changed the angle.

"She was making noises but I can't say that she was waving her hands," said Ms Chyzy.

"She told me her throat was numb, she was going into a panic.

"I didn't administer anaesthetic without her permission."

Left bleeding

The hearing was also told that she left an elderly woman bleeding after she drilled through the wrong part of a tooth.

She then used a 5% bleach solution during root canal treatment when the normal concentration used is between 1.5% and 2%.

The bleach seeped into the mouth, leaving the patient with swelling, bruising and possible nerve damage.

Ms Chyzy said that she was shocked when the patient's face swelled up and decided to refer her to a GP and then a facial surgeon.

"It was not something I'd seen before," she said.

"I wasn't sure what had happened.

"I referred her to a facial surgeon - I was very concerned about the patient."

Further incident

An almost identical incident happened after that when she was treating another patient, the hearing was told.

Ms Chyzy said that the bleach used in both occasions was bought for her by a nurse and she thought it would have been diluted to a safe concentration.

"I meant no harm," she said.

The hearing continues.