Karim Guirguis, also known as Kareem Guirguis, director of DE Clinics UK Limited (trading as The Dental Experts), has today (3 October) been ordered to pay £9,614 and issued a 12-month Community Order by the Westminster Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to one charge of providing services without being registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Mr Guirguis was ordered to complete a 12-month Community Order and 15 days’ Rehabilitation and Activity Requirement (RAR). Mr Guirguis was also ordered to pay a fine of £5,000, £3,000 prosecution costs, a victim surcharge of £114 and £500 in compensation to each of the three named victims. Mr Guirguis was also disqualified from being a company director for three years.
It is a criminal offence under section 10 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 to carry on dental services without registration.
The charge relates to composite bonding treatments that were carried out between 14 November 2022 and 5 January 2023 by DE Clinics UK Limited, trading as The Dental Experts or TDE, in breach of section 10 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008. Mr Guirguis, who at that time was a director or purported director, or manager or purported manager of DE Clinics UK Limited, connived or consented in the commission of the offence by DE Clinics UK Limited, contrary to section 91 of the same Act. At the time the procedures were carried out, Mr Guirguis was suspended as a dentist by the General Dental Council since 3 November 2022. Neither Mr Guirguis, DE Clinics UK Limited nor “The Dental Experts” were registered with CQC to undertake any regulated activities including surgical procedures.
Ros Sanderson, CQC’s deputy director of national enforcement, said:
“I hope this outcome sends a clear message to others that where we find providers operating outside of the law, we will always use our enforcement powers to protect people and hold them to account to stop poor and illegal practice.
“It is unacceptable that Karim Guirguis risked people’s safety by running a service without the benefit of CQC registration, so I welcome Mr Guirguis's guilty plea to this offence.
“The registration process is important as it enables CQC to assess if a service has the knowledge and skills to care for people. Services are then monitored and inspected to ensure that they continue to meet fundamental standards of care that everyone should be able to expect. Un-registered services operate without the benefit of this oversight, putting people at risk of harm.
“When we find individuals operating unlawfully, we won’t hesitate to act to protect people, as we did in this case.”