Dentist reprimanded after breaching professional boundaries with a patient

18 Dec 2020

A Western Australian dentist has been reprimanded by a tribunal and had conditions imposed on her registration after she admitted engaging in professional misconduct.

The dentist, Dr Katarzyna Parker, admitted that she had transgressed appropriate professional boundaries with a patient by attending a nightclub with the patient and by communicating about matters that were unrelated to the practitioner/patient relationship.

Dr Parker also admitted that she had induced a state of conscious sedation in the patient by prescribing Midazolam and Temazepam when she did not hold the relevant endorsement for conscious sedation from the Dental Board of Australia (the Board), and when she did not have the relevant education or training to induce a state of conscious sedation.

Dr Parker further admitted that she had failed to maintain adequate clinical records in relation to treatment she had provided to the patient.

The Board and Dr Parker agreed that Dr Parker’s conduct constituted professional misconduct and the terms on which the matter could be resolved.

On 22 October 2020, the State Administrative Tribunal (the tribunal) in Western Australia ordered that Dr Parker’s conduct constituted professional misconduct and that she be reprimanded.

The tribunal also ordered that conditions be imposed on Dr Parker’s registration requiring her to be mentored by another health practitioner, specifically about maintaining appropriate boundaries with patients, and to provide a reflective practice report to the Board.

Dr Parker was also ordered to pay a contribution towards the Board’s costs.

The tribunal’s orders record that Dr Parker has an otherwise unblemished disciplinary history, had demonstrated insight and remorse and had voluntarily completed courses on professional boundaries and record keeping.

The tribunal’s decision is on the eCourts Portal of Western Australia website.