Heartbreak for former patients of the ‘Dirty Dentist’ Mr Desmond D’Mello

When the news first broke out about Nottinghamshire based dentist Desmond D’Mello and the infection control procedures he’d been ignoring, we were aware from the very start that the local community where in shock given how well liked he was.

But now we’re representing a huge number of former patients for legal action, we’re learning more and more about the heartbreak that has been caused in the wake of the news he has potentially exposed 22,000 people to HIV and Hepatitis B and C.

“You couldn’t have met a nicer man”
“He was a pillar of the community”
“He was so friendly”
“He’d do anything for you”
“He was more like a friend than a dentist to me”

This is but a small sample of what our clients are generally saying about Mr D’Mello. We haven’t spoken to a single person who has had a bad word to say about him prior to the breaking of the news that he had failed to adhere to even the most basic of infection control procedures – like washing his hands, reusing gloves, and using poorly sterilised equipment.

People simply cannot believe that this has all been going on behind their backs. No one knew!

As more and more former patients come forward many are of the opinion that, upon reflection, there were perhaps little signs that something wasn’t being done right. Many have commented at how busy the practice was and how quickly patients were turned around. Some recall specific incidents where they believe he never changed his gloves or washed his hands.

But they’re all things no one ever thought about until the news broke. Most have said that they simply accepted that hygiene was a standard for these sorts of things.

Many have said that the mere fact that he was such a nice person has made the news of all this far worse. It’s like finding out that a friend has been doing terrible things behind your back! The result is a recall of a scale and nature that has never been seen before, and a community left shaken at the news.

For many, heartbreak is an understatement – the problems this has caused are all things we are taking in to consideration when it comes to our advice and help fro people who wish to obtain justice for what has happened.