A WEALTHY dentist who called a patient a 'tart with a mouth like a cesspit' has been struck off.

Leslie Rippon Smith, who began his career in Darlington, was branded dishonest by the General Dental Council, which found him guilty of serious misconduct.

The council was told Mr Smith became abusive when a Durham woman, Mrs CH, decided to take legal action against him in 2003. She ended up paying £1,135 to another dentist to repair errors made by Mr Smith.

The council found him guilty of failing to maintain her oral health, which he had denied. He was also found guilty of claiming from the NHS for work done on Mrs CH when she was being treated privately.

He was also found to have made inappropriate claims for work on more than a dozen patients and making misleading claims for two others during 2000.

A further 13 inappropriate claims were uncovered during 2001. This led County Durham and Darlington Health Authority to recommend £3,250 in payments be kept back.

Mr Smith, of Framwellgate Bridge, Durham, who was running five practices employing 16 dentists by the time he was 26, vehemently denied deliberately attempting to mislead patients or the Dental Practice Board.

He was cleared of a number of charges, including failing to advise Mrs CH of her need for dental care.