Dodgy dentist defrauds members after draining super for medical procedures

As more Australians drain their superannuation to pay for medical procedures, Slater and Gordon Lawyers is warning members to think twice about doing so after a Perth dentist left patients in limbo.

Slater and Gordon Lawyers medical law practice leader Sarah Marshman believes more than 130 patients of Perth dentist David Hurst were persuaded to withdraw from their super to pay for expensive and often unnecessary treatments.

Some patients paid more than $70,000 in advance for procedures that never occurred and have yet to be reimbursed.

Hurst, who was the director of Perth Dental Rooms, died last December. He was previously convicted of defrauding the UK's National Health Service (NHS) through forged patient declarations. He received a suspended jail sentence and a 200-hour community work order in 2012 after pleading guilty to 69 counts of theft. After relocating to Australia, Hurst was permitted to continue practising dentistry.

Australian Taxation Office (ATO) data for the 2024 financial year shows it approved the release of more than $1 billion of superannuation on medical grounds, jumping 37% year on year.

Six years ago, some $389.1 million was taken out of superannuation that was used for medical treatment for a member or a member's dependent, marking a whopping 157% increase.

"For many patients, accessing their superannuation early seemed like a smart way to fund dental treatment. But now they've lost tens of thousands from their retirement savings, and are still in pain - physically, financially and emotionally," Marshman said.

"These patients weren't just sold dental procedures. They were sold false hope through aggressive social media advertising and quick access to super."

The Sunday Times reports that up to $2.3 million in patient pre-payments remain unaccounted for by Hurst Group, the company used to manage Perth Dental Rooms' finances.

Hurst allegedly withdrew more than $7 million from the practice before his death.

Marshman said patients were encouraged to dip into their retirement savings without any real understanding of the tax penalties or medical risks involved.

"We are hearing from people who are in daily pain and struggling with broken implants, infections, and untreated complications," she said.

"What we're seeing is not just financial loss, but real emotional distress and ongoing pain caused by reckless, unfinished, and in some cases, unnecessary dental work."