Sidcup dentist who worked in Forest Hill faces sexual harassment claims

Iranian-born Iraj Almasi subjected the young woman to "a brazen and persistent campaign of sexual harassment" at VAS Dental Care in Forest Hill and the Royal Dental Care Practice in Sidcup, the General Dental Council heard.

He began to target Dental Nurse A just two weeks after she started working in Forest Hill, it was said at the hearing on August 11.

She left the London Road surgery on maternity leave in 2008 but encountered Almasi again in 2011 at the Sidcup practice in Station Road, where he allegedly resumed harassing her and another trainee.

Almasi targeted Dental Nurse A almost immediately, the panel was told.

Mark Harries, for the GDC, said: "Within two weeks of her starting work at VAS, during the treatment of a patient during morning surgery, the registrant embarked on what was to become a brazen and persistent campaign of sexual harassment.

"That morning he put his hands on her hips and on her bottom, much to her shock."

Almasi groped the trainee dental nurse for the second time in the afternoon, leading her to confront him later in the day, the panel heard.

Mr Harries said: "Dental Nurse A says he touched her both when they were treating patients and when they were alone.

"He pulled her between his legs as he drilling a patient's teeth.

"She could feel his breath on her neck. He would use his elbow on her shoulder so she couldn't shrug him off.

"She objected verbally if they were alone, if they were with a patient by pushing him away discreetly or imploring him with her eyes. "His reaction, she says, was to roll his eyes and belittle her."

Two months into Dental Nurse A’s employment in Sidcup Almasi recommenced his campaign of sexual harassment, the panel was told.

The dentist, who is registered at the Sidcup practice, faces seven allegations of inappropriate, sexually motivated and unprofessional behaviour.

If the panel find them proved, Almasi could be facing the end of his career.

The hearing continues.