To Whom It May Concern:
It has come to my attention through friends and associates in Thailand that the above named Pediatric Dentist is in breach of her fiduciary contract with the government of Thailand regarding payback of a loan provided to her to attend post doctoral training at Harvard University. Her original contract stipulates that she will either return to Thailand to teach at a dental university for a specified period of time or pay back the amount of the loan X three.
She has elected to remain in the United States and now has become embroiled in this controversy because she doesn’t have the money to repay the loan.
Why am I interested? I am a retired prosthodontist from Portland, Oregon and have close ties with friends and a number of dentists in Thailand. This has become a huge issue in Thailand because several individuals guaranteed the loan for her and are now held responsible for repaying 30 million Thai Baht (approximately $840,00US). It is my opinion that this is a serious breach of ethics and needs to be brought to the attention of the Board of Dentistry. I don’t see it as being any different than an American dentist refusing to carry out the contract with the US Health Department or any Armed Services providing scholarships to him/her and then having that student NOT repay the service required. In other words, the taxpayers of the United States through these various organizations deserve to be repaid in full, however it can be arranged. So does the Thai government in this case.
I don’t know the dentist involved. However, she needs to assume responsibility for her actions and find a way to repay the loan as required or return to Thailand to fulfill her contract. I understand she may be a US citizen now but that doesn’t give her the right to hide behind her US citizenship.
It certainly isn’t the fault of Harvard University nor the dental profession in the United States. However, in Thailand it has cast a dim light on her and the institution of dentistry here in the states.
I bring this to the attention of the Massachusetts Board of Dentistry only because I practiced for 30 + years as a general dentist and prosthodontist, and educator at Oregon Health & Sciences University School of Dentistry, and wouldn’t want this person working on dental patients in my community, let alone anywhere else. Integrity and responsibility are both an integral part of Ethics, and she needs to find a way to make this right to the government and people of Thailand.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
David R. Burton DMD, MA
1221 SW 10th Avenue #108
Portland, Oregon 97205