A “manipulative” dentist who exchanged treatments for hugs and kisses has been struck off the register.

Parag Patel, of Nugents Park, Pinner, was summoned before the Professional Conduct Committee of the General Dental Council on Monday, June 20.

He faced numerous charges of misconduct and malpractice relating to two patients he treated between January 2012 and November 2014 while working at his Facial Wellness practice, on Wimpole Street, Marylebone.

He initiated a “strange” exchange of physical contact for dental treatment with one patient, which soon transformed into a sexual relationship that eventually turned sour when she tried to end it.

Mr Patel made repeated attempts to make the patient, referred to as Patient One, divorce her husband, despite being married himself. He also urged her to reject her religion, telling her that going to church was “a load of rubbish”.

However, when she did not comply and moved to end the relationship, he waited outside her home in his car and then followed her as she drove her children to school, which she described as “the most frightening thing that she had ever experienced”.

Mr Patel’s advances began harmlessly enough, according to Patient One.

She said in a statement read during the hearing: “When the work began on fitting the overlays, he would ask for a hug from me for the work he had carried out at the end of each session. I insisted that I should have to pay for the treatment, but he asked for a hug and said that that would be enough.

“I found this strange and felt that I should not be doing it, but agreed to it anyway. This then developed into requests for kisses on the cheek and then on the lips in return for the work he had done.”

However the nature of their relationship soon changed, with Mr Patel telling the patient he wished to have sex with her.   

“On one particular day in July 2013 I was driving Dr Patel to the station when he suddenly told me that he would like to have sex with me. I was stunned when he said this,” she said.

“He told me that he had booked us a hotel room in St Albans. I felt like I had to do it as I felt indebted to him for the overwhelming kindness he persisted in showing me, and so I agreed.

“I felt terrible afterwards and never wanted to do it again. However, it happened again at the beginning of September. I felt completely trapped.”

Mr Patel showered her with gifts, including an iPad, mobile phone and thousands of pounds in cash.

He also let her listen in on private telephone consultations with other patients, admitting after one such exchange that he “did not really like treating Jewish people”.

As well as breaking professional boundaries with patients, Mr Patel failed in a number of clinical aspects according to the Professional Conduct Committee.

These included referring a CT scan without adequate clinical justification, failing to inform patients of the risks involved with various treatments, and recording diagnoses using “generally unrecognised terminology”.

He even recommended one patient adjust her prosthetic tooth at home using a nail file.

The Professional Conduct Committee found Mr Patel had committed “serious and fundamental” misconduct in relation to clinical matters and professional ethical matters.   

It moved to erase Mr Patel from the Register and impose an immediate order for his suspension.

Mr Patel did not attend the hearing, and was not represented, despite being aware of the claims against him and making previous applications to dismiss or adjourn the case.

His name will be erased from the register 28 days after the hearing closed on June 27 if he does not appeal the decision.