Wales dentist suspended after incident abroad but regulator refuses to say why

Wales dentist suspended after incident abroad but regulator refuses to say whyThe General Dental Council has suspended Dr Stephen Gary Lodge, who until recently ran two clinics in south Wales, but the watchdog has refused to disclose reasonsNewsPaige Ingram and Conor Gogarty05:41, 06 Apr 2026View 2 ImagesLodge Dental's practice in Abergavenny(Image: Google)An experienced dentist has been suspended from practice, yet the dental regulator is refusing to reveal the reasons why.Dr Stephen Gary Lodge, who until recently operated two clinics in Wales, is believed to have been barred following an incident while on holiday abroad. Dr Lodge was the founder of Lodge Dental practices in New Inn, Torfaen, and Abergavenny, Monmouthshire. The General Dental Council confirmed he was suspended last July, with the ban remaining in place following a review six months later. He is unable to return to dental work until at least January next year.The watchdog declined to provide any details on the grounds for suspension, but WalesOnline understands it is linked to an incident last year during a holiday in Cyprus.View 2 ImagesLodge Dental, which charges between £14 and £42 monthly(Image: Peter Cade via Getty Images)READ MORE: Storm Dave: Major rescue op launched to save trio who tried to camp in Lake DistrictREAD MORE: At least seven injured after Benidorm hotel roof collapses on holidaymakersA separate regulator, Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW), has recently stepped in regarding Lodge Dental owing to what it described as "concerns raised regarding governance and clinical oversight arrangements".All healthcare providers are legally required to have a clinical governance framework in place. Yet following Dr Lodge's suspension last July, he remained the company's sole director until October, when he stepped down from the role he had held for 17 years. Fellow dentist Dr Cameron Currie was subsequently appointed as director, according to Companies House.A source...