Dental Council revokes scholarship defaulter's licence

When she left debts of 36 million baht to her Thai co-signers, Dr Dolrudee was protected by Harvard University staff. That could change if she loses her Thai licence. (File photos)

Dentist's licence pulled over debts The Dental Council has resolved to annul the dentist's licence held by Dolrudee Jumlongras after she violated the terms of three scholarships, the council's president revealed Wednesday.

Dr Dolrudee won a grant to pursue her master's and doctoral degrees in the United States in 1993. However, after graduating she decided not to return to teach at Bangkok's Mahidol University as earlier agreed, making her liable for the three scholarships worth a total of 36 million baht.

The Administrative Court in 2006 ordered Dr Dolrudee to repay the money to Mahidol University and the Office of Higher Education Commission (Ohec) but she failed to make any payments.

Her four guarantors had to shoulder the debts. The university and Ohec helped by securing the court's permission to reduce the balance owed by two-thirds to 12 million baht.

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The council's sub-committee probing her alleged misconduct found her guilty of violating the dental profession's code of ethics, said dentist Paisal Kangwolkij, president of the council.

Another sub-committee deciding whether her misconduct should lead to the nullification of her licence decided it was a just punishment, he said.

Despite her previous promises to repay her guarantors by selling her assets in the US, none of the proceeds were forwarded to any of the four parties, Mr Paisal said.

This technically makes her guilty of fraud while also damaging the reputation of the dental profession, he said.

Dentist Padet Poolwithayakit, one of Dr Dolrudee's guarantors, welcomed the council's decision. He said it sets a solid precedent to deter others.

He urged the council to supply an English translation of the licence revocation so any affected parties in the United States could use it to aid their cases against her.

Mr Padet said this should be sent to the council's US counterpart and the authorities in Massachusetts that regulate Dr Dolrudee's practice there. The four guarantors, all of whom are Dr Dolrudee's teachers and close friends, have now fully paid off her debt, Mr Padet told reporters.

EARLIER REPORT

The Dental Council has resolved to revoke the dentistry licence of Dolrudee Jumlongras, a former university lecturer who reneged on a state scholarship contract and remains in the US, for breach of professional ethics.

Council chairman Paisal Kangwolkij announced the decision at a media conference on Wednesday.

He said Dr Dolrudee had resigned without fulfilling the employment conditions set down in her scholarship granted by Mahidol Univerity to pursue master's and doctoral degrees at Harvard University in 1993 and then return to work in Thailand.

Dolrudee Jumlongras (Photo taken from the internet).

She therefore owed the university and the Office of Higher Education 24 million baht, and had failed to pay it within the 30-day deadline.

The Central Administrative Court ruled on Feb 15, 2006 that Dr Dolrudee had to pay the debt, but she did not. This caused problems for all her guarantors, who have make the payment on her behalf.

Mr Paisal said a sub-committee on ethics was of the view her behaviour had brought discredit on the profession and she was no longer qualified to be a member of the council. Therefore, her licence to practice dentistry would be revoked.

He said the guarantors had trusted Dr Dolrudee to return to work in Thailand and share the benefits of her studies. She had instead remained in the United States and her guarantors had to repay her scholarship money.

When the Administrative Court passed its final ruling, the guarantors had asked her to pay the debt but she said she did not have the money to do so. Dr Dolrudee later promised to return the money after she had sold her assets overseas. After the sale, she still refused to pay the debt.

“This can be considered as cheating, luring the guarantors to trust in her. Her behaviour has caused damage to the profession, showing her lack of social responsibility and lack of respect for the law, causing damage to the country,” the statement issued by the council said.