An East Ayrshire dentist has been removed from the General Dental Council's (GDC) list of registered dental professionals for serious misconduct and dishonesty by putting the health of his patients at risk from cross-contamination.

This follows allegations of failing to sterilise or disinfect dental instruments between treating patients, allowing staff to lay out used single use items for patient treatment and for not having adequate infection control measures at his dental practices.

During a public hearing between January 11 and February 10, the GDC's Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) heard allegations that Alan Morrison  re-used matrix bands - thin metal strips fitted around teeth - on different patients, did not change his surgical gloves between patients and for using instruments which either should have either only been used once and thrown away or sterilised or disinfected before being reused.

The allegations related to Mr Morrison's conduct at his dental surgeries in Cumnock and Drongan between December 2009 and September 2013.

The PCC also heard allegations of dishonesty as Mr Morrison created false invoices for dental supplies and instruments he did not buy.

At the same hearing, the PCC also considered the conduct of Lorraine Kelly and Dawn Grant. Mrs Kelly worked as a practice manager and Mrs Grant worked as a dental nurse at Mr Morrison's dental practices. They both faced allegations of reusing single use items, for inadequate infection control and dishonesty responding to the investigation by NHS Ayrshire and Arran.

In reaching their decision to determine misconduct for Mr Morrison, the Committee said: "Your actions in reusing single use items, permitting other dental nurses to include used single use items in the instruments laid out for the treatment of patients, failing to arrange the training of your staff in cross-infection control and failing to ensure that your practices contained local decontamination units which complied with the requirements of NHS Scotland, put patients at unwarranted risk of harm.

"You breached fundamental tenets of the dental profession and your actions brought the profession into disrepute. In addition, your dishonest conduct was a concerted effort to deliberately deceive the Health Board in relation to the purchase of single use items at your practices."

In reaching their decision to remove Mr Morrison from the register, the Committee concluded "That your woeful behaviour, as detailed in this determination, has damaged your fitness to practise and public confidence in the dental profession to the extent that removal of your professional status is the only appropriate and proportionate outcome."

In considering Mrs Kelly's allegations, the Committee noted it has not seen any evidence of remorse or insight into her dishonest conduct regarding the cross-infection control concerns. It said: "The cross-infection control failings, the dishonest conduct and the attempt to interfere with an investigation found proved against Mrs Kelly were very serious departures from the standards of conduct expected of a registered dental care professional and fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession."

The Committee made a decision to remove Mrs Kelly from the register.

In considering the allegations of Mrs Grant, the Committee said: "Dental nurses have the responsibility of ensuring that instruments for the treatment of patients are put through the appropriate cross-infection control processes. As a registered dental care professional Mrs Grant had a responsibility to report any breaches of cross-infection control to the appropriate authorities.

"Rather than do this, Mrs Grant put her interests before that of her patients and colleagues by denying that single use items were reused at the practices."

It agreed that while the actions of Mrs Grant were a serious departure from the standards of conduct expected of a dental care professional, it noted that her actions related to cross-infection control are remedial and as a dental nurse she would have done what was instructed.

The Committee imposed an immediate order of conditions on Ms Grant's registration as well as imposing conditions on Mrs Grant's ability to practise for a period of 12 months.

The removal of Mr Morrison and Mrs Kelly from the register does not take effect for 28 days, in which time they can appeal. The PCC made an additional order of immediate suspension which covers the appeal period.

If they do not appeal, they will be removed from the register which means that they will not be able to practise as a dentist in the UK.

The GDC investigates matters when it is alleged that a dental professional's ability, behaviour or health may impair their fitness to practise.