Two dental technicians in Tenerife have been convicted of professional misconduct for performing duties for which they were not qualified. The cases, involving practices in Cabo Blanco and La Orotava, highlight serious concerns about patient safety, as reported by the Dental Association of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
The Dental Association raised the alarm on both incidents and has actively participated as a plaintiff in the case of the Cabo Blanco case which is in Arona in the south of the island.
In the first case, Penal Court No. 3 of Santa Cruz de Tenerife sentenced a dental technician to 12 months in prison plus a fine, and legal costs. The court established that the technician, holding a Superior Technician in Dental Prosthesis degree, overstepped his professional boundaries in his interactions with a patient identified as J.P.G. on March 31st and April 27th, 2022, at a laboratory in Cabo Blanco, Arona.
The technician diagnosed the patient’s issues, took measurements, crafted a prosthesis, and performed manipulations in the patient’s mouth, culminating in the final placement of the dental work, actions explicitly prohibited by law.
In a separate case, the Penal Court No. 5 of Santa Cruz de Tenerife sentenced another dental technician to 12 months in prison, plus a fine, and ordered the payment of legal costs. The court found that "between April and June 2022," the convicted technician performed dental procedures at a facility in El Mayorazgo, La Orotava, despite lacking the necessary qualifications. This judgment is final, as both parties have expressed their intention not to appeal.
The crime of professional misconduct is stipulated under Article 403.1 of the Penal Code.
The College of Dentists are calling for harsher penalties for professional misconduct to deter such activities and protect public health.
