A DENTIST who was jailed for defrauding Worcestershire patients and the NHS out of thousands pounds has been struck off the dental register.

Jaspal Bachada and Ikhlaq Hussain duped dental customers by telling them they were being treated on the NHS while charging them inflated private rates.

The Droitwich Spa Dental Practice, in Blackfriars Avenue, was one of a string of practices in the West Midlands, Merseyside and Scotland the pair were partners at.

In October last year, Bachada, who pleaded guilty, was jailed for 20 months, Hussain was found guilty and given a 30-month sentence.

The pair defrauded the NHS in excess of £80,000, patients were scammed out of between £3,000 and £4,000.

Bachada, aged 38, of Stourbridge, was summoned to appear before the General Dental Practice’s professional conduct committee last week.

He accepted a charge that his fitness to practice is impaired by his conviction.

Hussain, 39, of Birmingham will appear at a later date.

For full story see tomorrow's Worcester News