A dentist is considering taking legal action after a visiting specialist was denied permission to treat his patients after coming to the Island for more than a decade.

A number of irate dental patients were told three weeks ago their appointments would be cancelled after the Department of Immigration denied periodontist Dr. Ian Vogen a work permit to work in Bermuda.

The Department of Immigration reversed its decision last week and allowed him to continue working at the Paget Dental Group.

Dr. Vogen will return to the Island on April 12 and resume his schedule of treating patients for one week out of every six weeks. He is already booked for the year and has extended business hours to meet the demand.

Dr. James Fay of the Paget Dental Group said he has submitted the case to Wakefield Quin lawyer Mark Pettingill and is considering taking the Dental Board to court for damages to Dr. Vogen and to patients whose health depends on receiving the treatment.

Chief Immigration Officer Dr. Martin Brewer said the department acted on the advice of the professional body, The Bermuda Dental Board.

Dr. Fay said Dr. Dyer's qualifications include a one-year Master's degree in periodontology without practical application. Dr. Dyer is not on the UK or Canadian registry of qualified periodontists.

Dr. Fay believes the Department of Immigration reversed their decision when Dr. Dyer's qualifications were brought to their attention.

“It was Immigration who took that to mean he was a specialist,” said Dr.Fay. “We have many other issues and we're going to be pressing them with the Ministers and the courts. The dental board dropped the ball on this one and as a result we have local dentists who were referring patients to a non-qualified practitioner.”

Dr. David Dyer told The Royal Gazette he had sent out a letter to Dr. Fay and to other dentists on the island offering his services in periodontology.

“All dentists had the letter and as to whether that was the route the Bermuda Dental Board took, I don't know,” he said.

Dr. Dyer says he has a Master's degree in Periodontology and has done research and post-graduate training in the subject at the University of Bristol. He said his name is not on the UK register and he has not decided whether or not to take that route.

Without periodontal work people can suffer from chronic inflammation of the gums and loosening of the teeth.

Dental Board president Dr. Richard Cann said he would not discuss the board's advice or correspondence to the Department of Immigration.

‘We do not comment on advice and recommendations we give to the department of immigration,” he said. “The Bermuda Dental Board is not at liberty to discuss its decisions with the members of the public.”