Ripponlea dentist Dr Reshmi Prasad caught undergoing procedures she wasn’t trained for

A Ripponlea dentist has been slammed as ‘predatory’ after putting patients at risk by operating without proper training and overcharged them for the procedures.

Ripponlea dentist Dr Reshmi Prasad found to be operating on patients without proper training, overcharging for afterhours procedures and more.

A Melbourne dentist has been exposed for treating patients without proper training and overcharging for unnecessary procedures among other shocking claims, a tribunal has heard.

Ripponlead-based Dr Reshmi Prasad fronted VCAT on April 12 after it was discovered she had been conducting procedures without training, had operated without insurance and overcharged patients for after hours procedures.

The Dental Board of Australia brought Dr Prasad before the tribunal after receiving multiple complaints from her patients.

An investigation revealed she unnecessarily removed a teenager’s wisdom tooth at an Elsternwick clinic in April 2018.

The patient attended the clinic after hours with severe tooth pain.

The patient told the tribunal Dr Prasad had “insisted” on removing the tooth without informing them of alternative treatments.

The patient told the tribunal Dr Prasad did not inform them of the risks in removing a wisdom tooth.

VCAT heard evidence from two patients regarding Dr Prasad’s “inadequate treatment” and “predatory” overcharging.

Dr Prasad undertook the removal without a proper investigation and X-rays and didn’t correctly record the treatment on the patient’s health records.

She also did not make a follow up appointment with the patient to track their healing.

The tribunal heard the patient was then charged $1350, where an average specialist treatment normally ranged between $200 and $425.

The patient said they believed Dr Prasad’s behaviour to be “predatory”.

Prasad undertook a further unnecessary procedure on another patient at a Ripponlea clinic in June 2018, when she glued a fractured tooth back onto an open nerve.

The tribunal was told Dr Prasad again did not discuss alternative treatment or outline potential risks.

Dr Prasad left the patient unable to close their mouth.

The tribunal heard the patient woke the next day to find the tooth had fallen out.

The patient was given no post-operative instructions and was charged $300, double the price they were quoted prior to the procedure.

The tribunal further heard Dr Prasad failed to have Professional Indemnity Insurance for a seven month period in 2017 and 2018, where she would not reveal if she had continued practice.

The board says Dr Prasad had practiced without up-to-date insurance in place, putting patients at risk while in the chair.

The Dental Board provided documentation to show she had knowingly lied on her registration, claiming insurance was in place, saying she had “failed to be ethical or trustworthy”.

Over a period in 2018 and 2019, Dr Prasad had also been banned from doing crown and bridgework until she had completed approved training courses for the procedures, a ban which she ignored.

On Friday, the tribunal found she had been “vague and unresponsive” in her conduct.

The tribunal agreed Dr Prasad had overcharged patients, while also not providing adequate treatment.

The tribunal also agreed Dr Prasad knowingly “acted recklessly” when she lied to the Board regarding her insurance and that she wasn’t compliant with the restrictions placed on her.

The members will release their decisions on a later date.