Cowboy dentist's 'threatening' texts to woman he left screaming in pain

A cowboy dentist tried to block a woman from leaving his flat after botching a procedure. Dr Johnathan Saunders advertised his services on Facebook, but was not qualified to carry out the composite bonding procedure.

The woman attended Dr Saunders's flat in Wigan, however he left the patient screaming in pain after it all went wrong. A Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service hearing found when the woman tried to leave in tears Dr Saunders blocked the door and shouted "no, you can't go", reports the Manchester Evening News.

He also sent the woman £2,500 in hush money, threatened her with legal action and bombarded her with a string of abusive messages. Dr Saunders has now been suspended for 12 months after the hearing found he was guilty of serious misconduct.

Dr Saunders, who graduated with Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees from Liverpool University but wasn't qualified to perform dentistry, advertised a composite bonding service, a type of teeth whitening and repair treatment, on Facebook.

In April 2022 the patient contacted him to make an appointment. In messages Dr Saunders admitted he was "not a dentist" but insisted he would "do an amazing job". One message read: "Yes it's just as a cosmetic doctor, I am essentially not a dentist and can only perform certain procedures. Composite bonding is permitted but anything further is classed as dentistry."

He told the tribunal he didn't know the procedure could only be carried out by a registered dentist, but admitted he "didn't carry out the necessary due diligence". On May 11, 2022, the patient went to Dr Saunders's flat on the outskirts of Wigan town centre. No-one else was present.

The procedure left her "screaming in pain" and Dr Saunders attempted to stop the patient from leaving the flat, however after threatening to call the police the patient, who suffered gum and lip tissue damage, eventually left. In the following days Dr Saunders transferred £2,500 to the patient, asked her to sign a contract indicating he had not carried out the procedure, threatened her with legal action, demanded she pay him £2,500 and sent her 'threatening and abusive' text, email and WhatsApp messages.

One message, sent on June 1, 2022 read: "I'm not just some average Wigan t**t. I have the means and intelligence to ruin you of [sic] you ruin me. That's a promise. No more texts. You'll be seeing me if this isn't sorted tonight at your f****** door."

Another text, sent on June 5, read: "Pay me what you owe me or f****** watch that smirk get wiped off your f****** face." The tribunal heard that at Wigan magistrates' court on December 16, 2022 Dr Saunders was convicted of unlawfully practising dentistry and fined £2,250.

Three days later, at Belfast magistrates' court, he was convicted of possession of class B and C drugs and failing to provide a blood sample. He was fined £1,450 and banned from driving for a year. The tribunal also heard of a drink driving conviction from 2007, for which Dr Saunders had received a custodial sentence after injuring three people.

Amy Rollings, for the General Medical Council, told the tribunal Dr Saunder's actions and dishonesty amounted to "serious and persistent misconduct". She described his behaviour as "abhorrent "and "truly awful" and said he had abused his position of trust towards a "vulnerable" patient.

Chris Gillespie, representing Dr Saunders, said there was "no dispute" his client's current fitness to practice was impaired, adding that in itself was an "indicator of insight". The tribunal accepted Dr Saunders had "demonstrated significant insight and remediation". The panel ruled Dr Saunders was guilty of serious misconduct and suspended him for 12 months.