Bogus dentist jailed

A dentist and her assistant who had been practising without any registration or qualifications have been jailed for defrauding the NHS out of thousands of pounds.

Mogjan Azari and Omid Amidi-Mazaheri were sentenced to Southwark Crown Court last Thursday after pleading guilty to obtaining money by deception.

The court also heard that Azari, 38, allowed her assistant Amidi-Mazaheri to practise as a dentist at her surgeries in Norbury and Tulse Hill even though he was not qualified to do so.

Azari, of Oakwood Avenue, Beckenham, pleaded guilty to four counts of making false claims and was sentenced to 12 months for each charge to run concurrently. She also repaid £88,000 to the NHS.

Amidi-Mazahri, 43, from Henslowe Road, East Dulwich, was sentenced to two years in jail.

In August 2003 the NHS Counter Fraud Service received allegations that Azari who owns three dental surgeries had made inflated claims to the NHS for dental work she had performed as well as claiming for fictitious work.

Between March 2002 and June 2003 it is estimated Amidi-Mazahri treated at least 600 patients at Azari's surgeries before setting up his own dental practice in Dulwich with a dentist who had worked with Azari.

The dentist died shortly afterwards, leaving Amidi-Mazhari to run the practice. He continued to practise under his own name and the deceased dentist's name.

Azari was arrested in February 2004 and was immediately suspended from primary care trust lists.

Dermid McCausland, executive director at the NHS Counter Fraud Service, said: "Patients deserve the best possible care from highly trained health professionals. Ms Azari and Mr Amidi-Mazahri not only duped the NHS into paying them money but abused patient trust."

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