A private dentist has been told he is safe to continue in his practice.

Francois Rossouw, 52, appeared before the General Dental Council (GDC) yesterday and was told he would not be struck off the dental register.

It was alleged Rossouw, who has a practice in Halstead Road, Lexden Heath, promised trainee police officer Anna Hitchcock his therapy would correct her "bite".

But the General Dental Council heard her headaches and facial pain got worse, and the six-year treatment cost up to £2,000.

David Bradly, for the GDC, told the hearing Rossouw treated Miss Hitchcock for six years, between 1995 and 2002, at his surgery in Hutton Road, Shenfield, Essex.

He diagnosed the 21-year-old with a derangement of the internal jaw, and embarked on invasive procedures to pull the jaw forward and back with fixed braces, removable braces and fillings.

"The patient did not have symptoms to justify such a diagnosis, and he had not taken sufficient steps to eliminate other possibilities," Mr Bradly said.

Rossouw was known as a specialist in such treatment but Michael Horne, mitigating, told the panel the dentist had confined himself to competent general dental practice and had not been motivated by financial gain.

Rossouw sold the Hutton Road practice to his associate dentists in December 2006, and left last year to set up his Colchester practice.

Panel chairman Helen Potts said: "The panel continues to have some concerns about the depth of your insight, but gives you credit for the considerable steps you have taken to improve your practice."

She added that since Rossouw decided not to treat patients for that type of condition, there was no threat to the public.