Dr Duy ‘David’ Mai: Gold Coast dentist suspended, fined for professional misconduct

The owner of a string of southeast Qld dental clinics, including his home base at Nerang, has been suspended and received the maximum fine. Find out why the dental board came down hard on him.

Nerang-based dentist Dr Duy (David) Mai. Picture: Amazing Smiles

The owner of a string of southeast Queensland dental clinics, including his home base at Nerang, has had his registration suspended by the Dental Board of Australia.

Dr Duy ‘David’ Mai, who owns the Amazing Smiles brand, with clinics at Nerang, Wynnum, Jimboomba, Bray Park and Logan Central, according to its website, was found by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal to have engaged in professional misconduct, according to a newly published decision.

According to tribunal member John Robertson, the misconduct of Dr Mai, who was first registered in 1997, related to breaching conditions imposed on his registration by the Dental Board on August 12, 2020.

The conditions required that he be under the supervision of a board-approved supervisor when undertaking dental implant treatments and/or fixed procedures.

His first nominated supervisor was rejected by the board, but the second one was approved.

According to Mr Robertson, Dr Mai admitted to performing dental implant treatments and/or fixed prosthodontia treatments unsupervised; under the supervision of the rejected supervisor; and under the supervision of the second dentist before her supervisory role was approved by the board.

He breached the conditions 25 times between September 4, 2020 and March 17, 2021.

The conditions he breached were removed on June 22, 2022, but new conditions stipulating “indirect supervision” were reimposed on March 27 last year.

Mr Robertson said Dr Mai had a spotty record of compliance, receiving 11 notifications from the Dental Board since 2011 relating to “clinical performance, including poor record keeping and inappropriate informed consent”.

Dr Mai, although initially downplaying the seriousness of the breaches, subsequently displayed insight, accepted responsibility and undertook training, Mr Robertson added.

The Dental Board conceded the risk to patients stemming from Dr Mai’s noncompliance was low.

Mr Robertson recommended the finding of professional misconduct be removed from the national register in two years, in line with a request from Dr Mai, but the decision will ultimately be left up to the Dental Board.

Dr Mai was reprimanded, fined $15,000 (the maximum available at law), and had his registration suspended for two months.

Originally published as Dr Duy ‘David’ Mai: Gold Coast dentist suspended, fined for professional misconduct