result of his appeal.

The contents of the letter was not made public yesterday because Dr. Godwin had not received it.

Dr. Godwin took his fight all the way to Government House after the Bermuda Dental Board found him guilty of "disgraceful conduct in a professional respect'' after his fraud conviction.

He said Section 25 of the Dental Practitioners Act enabled him to appeal the Board's ruling to the Governor.

In 1995, he was found guilty of four charges of intent to defraud Somers Isles Insurance in a bid to gain more than $3,000.

Magistrates' Court heard his claim that he made sure patients got the right treatment by filing false insurance claims.

The money was gained through the practice of "cross charging'' -- carrying out one form of work, but actually claiming for another, the court heard. Dr.

Godwin, a graduate of Saltus Grammar School and Dalhousie University, set up private practice in 1988. He told the court it was a common practice within dentistry.

Dr. Godwin, 40, of Jubilee Road, Devonshire, appealed his sentence and had it reduced from $6,000 to $2,000.

But the appeal against conviction was dismissed. At the time Dr. Godwin vowed to go to jail as a "matter of principle'' rather than cough up the $2,000 -- but yesterday he said an anonymous person had paid the fine.

In a letter dated April 1, 1997, to the Bermuda Dental Board -- the body overseeing dentistry in the Island -- Dr. Godwin argued why he should not be struck off.

He stressed his offence did not cause or result in physical danger or harm to the public.

Meanwhile Deputy Governor Peter Willis said:"I have just written to Dr.

Godwin and therefore I'd rather not say a great deal.

"He lodged an appeal to the Governor and the Governor has considered it and I have just replied to (Dr. Godwin).

"The letter just left here (Friday) and I would really not wish to discuss it until Dr. Godwin has had sight of it.'' On May 15 Dr. Godwin learned of the decision to strike him off the dentist's register in a letter from then-Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Edward Dyer.

When contacted, Dr. Godwin was unaware of the developments at Government House.

But he said he looked forward to getting the letter and would have further comment once he had seen it.

AWAITING LETTER -- Dr. Clark Godwin