SC upholds ‘incompetent’ dental surgeon’s suspension

MANILA, Philippines - A dental surgeon lost his appeal before the Supreme Court (SC) on his suspension over a botched operation on a patient in 2008.

The SC’s Second Division upheld with finality the May 2012 ruling of Dentistry Board of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) suspending Noel Velasco from practice.

The PRC board had found Velasco guilty of being “incompetent” to practice as an oral surgeon and dental implantologist for his failure to establish that those institutions that conferred his certificates of specializations are duly recognized and authorized by the Board.

He was found to be liable for “dishonorable conduct” and was ordered suspended from practicing the dental profession for six months from the date he surrenders to the PRC board his certificate of registration and professional identification card as registered dentist.

In a two-page resolution released earlier this week, the SC denied Velasco’s appeal and instead affirmed its ruling earlier this year dismissing his petition seeking to annul the PRC suspension order.

The SC also upheld the 2015 ruling of the Court of Appeals in this case.

The case stemmed from the complaint filed by patient Norylyn Nibre in March 2009 alleging that Velasco advertised as a dental implantologist and oral surgeon through fliers and on radio stations.

Court records show that on March 19, 2008, Nibre tapped Velasco for an apecoectomy and bone-filling procedure and agreed to pay P732,000. She paid P100,000 in cash and had to pay the balance in post-dated checks.

After the procedures, Nibre said she experienced sharp, intense pain in all her teeth that lasted for about a month.

She also suffered from pain and swelling after the  bone-filling procedure, prompting her to demand a refund of her payments.

When Velasco refused to refund the payment, she then filed her complaint with the PRC.