A dentist has been jailed for two years after he fraudulently claimed more than £100,000 for treating fictitious patients.

Young Jun Suh, 41, submitted hundreds of false claims to the NHS from his surgery in Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, defrauding the health service of £109,000.

He also tricked patients into being treated and charged privately, Southwark Crown Court heard on Friday (January 13).

On some surgery forms, Suh used correcting fluid to alter patient names, on one occasion changing the surname ‘Raptopoulous’ to ‘Laptopooloo’. He also made pencil notes on cards relating to ‘fake’ patients.

The corrupt dentist was first investigated by NHS Dental Services in December 2004 and asked to provide investigators with patient record cards. But claiming his practice had recently been flooded, he produced just three, saying the rest had been destroyed.

He was subsequently ordered to repay more than £30,000 in stolen payments, but was not arrested until May 2007 on suspicion of fraud.

Investigators at NHS Protect were alerted to suspicious activities at Suh’s surgery after a member of the public received a patient questionnaire addressed to a woman they had never heard of. The name proved to be the first of many ‘ghost patients’ registered at Suh’s practice.

He was struck off the General Dental Council’s register on December 15 last year.

Suh, of Montaigne Close, Belgravia, pleaded guilty to nine counts of obtaining property by deception and three counts of fraud by false representation.

He also admitted two counts of obtaining money transfer by deception, six counts of false accounting, and one count of false representation.

Mick Hayes, anti-fraud lead investigator at NHS Protect, said: “Young Jun Suh showed no regard for taxpayers’ money or his patients.

“NHS Protect conducted a thorough investigation to uncover this complex fraud and was able to secure a conviction.

“This should serve as a strong deterrent to anyone tempted to commit fraud against the NHS.”