A fraudster who received almost £50,000 for carrying out dental work illegally and causing actual bodily harm by his substandard treatments was today sentenced to five and a half years imprisonment following a joint prosecution between Humberside Police and the General Dental Council (GDC).

Ronnie Barogiannis fraudulently obtained employment at the Smiles Dental Practice in Cottingham, East Yorkshire by impersonating a properly registered dentist and stealing his identity. During the course of his employment over a year at the practice he was paid £48,844.39 and the dental treatments he provided to several patients were so poor that he left them with permanent damage to their teeth and gums. In 2013, Mr Barogiannis illegally worked as a dentist at a dental practice in Scotland and, during that time, he recruited the dentist whose details he subsequently stole. Following a joint prosecution by the GDC and the local prosecution service in Scotland on 28 August 2013, he left this employment and moved to England, where he almost immediately took up working illegally again using the identity of his former colleague.

Following his guilty plea to one count of fraud on 27 May 2016, Ronnie Barogiannis pleaded guilty to a further four counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm at Hull Crown Court on 28 July 2016.

He was today sentenced for both fraudulently obtaining almost £50,000 and causing serious and permanent damage to several patients.  Speaking about the case, Katie Spears, Head of Illegal Practice at the GDC said: “Today’s sentence reflects the severity of the crimes committed by Mr Barogiannis. It is the duty of the GDC to protect patients and the lasting harm caused by Mr Barogiannis acting as an unregistered dentist highlights the importance of all dental treatments being provided by properly registered dental professionals.

“This case, while unusual, is shocking and the sentence imposed is a prime example of just how seriously the courts view actual bodily harm in the context of dental treatments. Not only did Mr Barogiannis fraudulently steal a person’s identity and claim almost £50,000 for carrying out illegal dental work, he inflicted permanent harm on members of the public who thought they were having treatment by a registered dentist. “Mr Barogiannis is a danger to the public and this case is a stark reminder of the need for dental treatment to only be carried out by a registered dental professional with the proper skills, qualifications and training.

“Working with Humberside Police, we were able to secure today’s conviction. The GDC is satisfied that the sentencing will ensure that Mr Barogiannis will no longer be a risk to the public and, hopefully, sends the strong message that carrying out dental treatment without being on the register is a criminal offence for whichyou could face prosecution.”

Detective Constable Lucy Khan who led the investigation said: “This was a very complex case where hundreds of people were treated by Mr Barogiannis and they believed he was a registered dentist who had their best interests at heart. This was a massive betrayal of trust and they were shocked as the details emerged during our conversations with them. I am sure they’ll be delighted that he is now serving a substantial amount of time in prison.

“It is clear from the investigation that Barogiannis was a very believable conman who weaved a complex series of lies to ensure he could work illegally as a dentist. I hope that the jail sentence will prevent others from operating as bogus medical professionals.”

The GDC worked with Humberside Police from the start of the investigation, providing investigative support and witness evidence, as well as assisting in relation to the ongoing work surrounding this investigation and prosecution.

The offences took place in England between 1 August 2013 and 1 October 2014. Following successful extradition proceedings, Mr Barogiannis  was extradited back to the United Kingdom, having fled to Sweden following his interview in relation to the current charges of illegal dental practice. A European Arrest Warrant was issued to ensure Mr Barogiannis was brought back to the UK and prosecuted for his offences.