Dentist avoids ban over racially motivated emails

A dentist facing permanent removal from the profession over racially motivated emails has avoided the ban following an appeal.

Hanna Grzelczak, who worked for Damira Dental Studios in Fareham, Hampshire, sent multiple emails to her employer saying she did not wish to be associated with them and their "Indian dentistry".

A General Dental Council tribunal ordered her erasure from the register, alongside immediate suspension, in September 2025 following a complaint.

However, a High Court judge ruled the sanction was "excessive and disproportionate" and replaced it with a six-month suspension.

Grzelczak, who originally trained and worked as a dentist in Poland, began work at Damira Dental's Fareham practice in 2022.

From July 2023, she sent a series of emails to the company asking for her name to be removed from its website.

In one email, she wrote: "If you type Hanna Grzelczak dentist in Google. You will see places connected to 3 surgeries Damira. Please remove it asap. I don't want to be connected with Indian dentitry [sic]."

In later messages, she added: "Please remove my data from Damira places. I am not Indian" and "I feel low with this connection as Damira is NHS low quality service and this is Indian company! It is a shame to me".

The tribunal found the emails were racially motivated and amounted to misconduct, concluding her fitness to practise was impaired.

In its ruling, the High Court said the original decision to erase her from the register was not proportionate, finding a suspension would be sufficient to protect the public and maintain confidence in the profession.

Damira Dental Studios has been approached for comment.