Painful implants, missing teeth and unfinished treatment that cost thousands of dollars – this is the dilemma some dental patients say they face after a long-standing dental practice suddenly closed.
Former patients of Myclinique in Northampton told ITV News Anglia that clinic staff did not warn them that the practice, in Cheyne Walk, would close in November 2024. Some did not realise until their calls went unanswered.
It has been more than a year since US veteran Daniel Toro travelled from Bicester, Oxfordshire, to be treated at the clinic in Northampton. But since the autumn when his implants began to fall out, the clinic has stopped responding to his messages and requests for help.
He said he paid more than £17,000 for treatment by Dr Mark Buddha, only to be left with broken implants in a plastic bag.
“That was it – I tried to call them back but there was no response,” he said.
“It’s also painful because every time a tooth breaks it leaves a sharp edge that I have to file down so it doesn’t hurt.
“Now this tooth sticks out and digs into my upper lip.”
Mr Toro is left with a metal bar for his upper teeth and several false teeth in his lower jaw, which makes it painful for him to eat and talk.
He said the huge sum was all he could afford to spend on his smile, but it could cost thousands more to fix the defect.
He said: “I don’t know if I can go on. I’m retired and I don’t have a job.”
Mr Toro eventually connected with another former Myclinique patient, Ashley Bushey, online. She spent more than £6,000 on braces and was happy with them until she too disappeared.
Ms Bushey, who works as a barista, said: “I’m 32 and I’m missing two front teeth, it’s so embarrassing.
“It’s really frustrating: it’s my biggest insecurity, it’s why I went there and now it’s worse than before I went in for treatment.”
“It’s really embarrassing. I didn’t want braces but I followed their treatment plan and they just didn’t complete the treatment.
“Now I’m just going to have to find someone else to do the work for me. In the meantime I’m wearing braces and if they break there’s nowhere to fix them.”
Mike Dooks is another former patient who didn’t complete his treatment. He spent £19,500 on implants but only had the top row completed before Myclinique closed its doors.
He said: “We were left in limbo and there was no news that the surgery was going to close.
“Emails, calls, letters went unanswered and it’s been a really hard time, frankly, not just for me but I know for many other Myclinique patients.”
Mr Dooks said he was quoted more than £20,000 to repair the lower row of implants and replace the upper row which was causing him discomfort.
He said: “It’s really disappointing and I know I will have to spend a large sum of money to complete the treatment that Myclinique was supposed to carry out.”
At the same time as Myclinique closed its doors, the Care Quality Commission published damning findings from an inspection of Dr Mark Buddha’s orthodontic practice at the same address, saying it failed to meet regulations.
The CQC said: “We took enforcement action to cancel the registration of Ortho Limited (trading as Cheyne Walk Orthodontics) for failing to meet regulations relating to safety and good care; the service was deregistered in November 2024.”
The General Dental Council, which regulates dental professionals in the UK, told us Dr Mark Buddha will retire in October 2024.
Late last year, some patients were told the long-established practice at 7 Cheyne Walk was closing for refurbishment. Some patients were told it would reopen in December, others in February.
A new company called Str8 Smiles said it had taken over Myclinique and promised to reopen after renovations, but did not give a date for the reopening.
Str8 Smiles is a company run by Belize-based Skyline Innovations, but new manager Muhib Shigri told ITV News Anglia that work on the previous Myclinique clinic had hit a few setbacks, adding: “Unfortunately this is a new company for us in the UK. There has been some delay in the opening and we apologise for that.”
Since speaking to ITV News Anglia, Str8 Smiles has offered full or partial refunds to Daniel Toro, Ashley Bushey and Mike Dooks.
A further seven former Myclinique patients who spoke to ITV News Anglia off-camera have yet to receive any refunds or compensation.
ITV News Anglia contacted Dr Mark Buddha, the dentist who performed the implants on Mr Toro and Mr Dukes, who say the surgery has left them with daily discomfort, but Dr Buddha did not respond.
Dr Buddha’s wife Lisa Tran, who is also a director of Ortho Limited and an employee of Myclinique, said: “I have contacted the new owners to urge them to reach out to existing patients and address their concerns.”
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