Claims warning over disgraced Notts dentist

Thousands of people, some of whom were from the Mansfield and Ashfield area, were screened last year for HIV after it was found that Mr D’Mello’s hygiene standards were not up to scratch at his Arnold practice.

He was immediately suspended by the General Medical Council when it came to light that he did not clean surgical instruments between seeing patients.

It was estimated that he could be sued for millions of pounds by those who faced an agonising wait over test results.

But David Corless-Smith - dentist, solicitor, barrister and director at the Dental Law Partnership - has warned that the professional dental indemnity body, the DDU, has refused professional insurance to the former dentist.

He said: “It’s effectively putting thousands of claimants at risk by forcing them to claim directly against the disgraced dentist and his assets, with no guarantee of any damages.

“This is a disgraceful failure of the safety net that patients fully deserve and expect to be in place.”