A DENTIST accused of urinating in a surgery sink just before seeing a patient, said he was "stunned" by the allegation.

Alan Hutchinson told a General Dental Council hearing that he was merely "cleaning his teeth" at the sink as part of his normal routine before treating people at his surgery in Batley.

The dentist also denied other unhygienic practices he is accused of, including using dental tools to clean his ears and fingernails and mixing up dirty drill pieces with clean ones.

But Mr Hutchinson, 51, said that for most of his career he had not always used gloves while treating patients, due to a latex allergy, a practice that he said he "regretted".

The central London hearing by the GDC's professional conduct committee, has already heard from one of Mr Hutchinson's nurses, who claims he urinated in a sink at the Branch Road Dental Practice in March last year.

But Mr Hutchinson said that on the day in question there had been "nothing unusual" about his routine as he prepared to treat his afternoon patients.

He said at lunchtime he had cleaned the surgery X-ray machine, which he said would normally have a strong smell of ammonia - similar to urine - when washed.

He said just before seeing patients he would normally clean his teeth at a sink that also had a high pressure tap that tended to splash water around.

Asked what he was doing when his nurse, Claire Pygott, came into the room, he said: "I was cleaning my teeth.

"Possibly I had finished but I was in the process of cleaning my teeth.

"There was nothing unusual. I cleaned my teeth and cleaned the sink, wiping up any splashes."

He said the allegation about urinating was not mentioned to him for several days until a meeting involving his practice partner, John Bairstow, was called.

At the meeting he was presented with a written statement about the allegation.

Asked by Simon Cridland, defending, how he felt, Mr Hutchinson replied: "I was just stunned. I really was.

"I think aggression would have shown if I was aggressive but I was just silent.

"I read the statement, it was quite lengthy. I probably read it again because to be honest I really couldn't believe what I was reading."

Mr Cridland, turning to the other allegations, added: "Have you ever cleaned your fingernails with dental excavators or dental filers"

Mr Hutchinson: "No I haven't".

Mr Cridland: "Have you ever picked your ears or used dental excavators or filers to clean your ears"

Mr Hutchinson replied: "No."

The dentist, a father of three, has pleaded not guilty to all the charges except that of not routinely wearing gloves.

If found guilty at the hearing, which is set to conclude tomorrow, Mr Hutchinson could be struck off the dental register.