21 April 2004 17:55
Vic: Russian ran illegal dentist surgery in spare room; court
MELBOURNE, April 21 AAP - A Russian immigrant ran a dental surgery from the spare room of his Melbourne home after
being refused registration due to his poor English, a court heard today. Roman Oshman, 66, of Glen Huntly, was told his
Ukrainian university qualifications and 30 years' experience working as a dentist would be recognised when he moved
to Australia in 1992. He was forced to work in unskilled cleaning and delivery jobs after the Dental Practice Board of
Victoria ordered he must improve his English and sit exams before being allowed to practice. Defence lawyer Stephen
Lindner told the Melbourne Magistrates Court Oshman became clinically depressed and suffered a stroke in 1995 after
failing to master the language. He recovered and "thought things were going well" when another former Russian
dentist promised to employ him as a dental technician in 2001. Mr Lindner said that promise, which was never kept,
coincided with Oshman developing an illegal surgery. Police discovered the illicit practice in May last year after
discarded dental equipment and drugs, including the painkiller lidocaine, were found in his rubbish. The court heard a
search revealed a clinic in a spare room, dental tools, 14 X-rays of different patients and boxes of out-of-date
lidocaine. Mr Lindner said Oshman performed only minor pain relief work on family and friends. "He's not a
person who's a charlatan, a backyard operator of that kind plying a trade he's not properly trained in,"
he said. Oshman, who accepted he was unlikely to ever work as a dentist again, pleaded guilty to practising dentistry
while unregistered and possessing a restricted drug. Magistrate Duncan Reynolds did not record a conviction, saying
Oshman's dental work would have been of "therapeutic value" to him. He ordered Oshman forfeit the dental
tools and drugs and fined him $1,200. AAP adm/dk/sco/de
[AAP News] |
RUSSIA IN FACTS
