Elgin Ng, a 29-year-old former photographer at the National Dental Centre Singapore (NDCS), was sentenced on 9/12 to two years and three months in prison for secretly photographing female patients. He took over 600 unauthorized chest images of 25 female patients, aged 13 to 38.

Ng's official duties involved photographing patients' teeth and jaws for upcoming surgeries. However, investigations showed that from June 2021 to May 2024, he misused his position to capture sensitive images of female patients he found attractive. He photographed their chests from various angles, including top-down and bottom-up, violating established protocols.

National Dental Centre Singapore (NDCS). Photo: Healthtrip

NDCS regulations require photographers to provide patients with a blue board for privacy and mandate a female colleague's presence or open curtains when photographing female patients. Ng ignored these rules, keeping curtains closed and omitting the privacy board during these unauthorized sessions. He also falsely told patients that dentists had requested additional photos if they were not scheduled for imaging.

After taking the illicit photos, Ng transferred them to his personal devices and deleted them from the camera's SD card to avoid detection. He sometimes accessed NDCS's internal system, MiPACS, to download victims' portrait photos. He then used these to create a detailed list on a USB drive, containing names, ages, portrait images, and the unauthorized photos. Ng also shared these photos with a friend on Telegram at least two times.

Ng's activities came to light in 4/2024 when an 18-year-old victim reported being repeatedly called for photo sessions without a legitimate doctor's request. She had 31 unauthorized photos taken of her.

When NDCS began an internal investigation, Ng resigned without providing a statement. NDCS reported the matter to the police and has since implemented stricter photography protocols, including requiring a guardian to accompany patients and increasing monitoring of access to dental records.

In November, Ng pleaded guilty to 9 charges, including voyeurism, distributing obscene images, and unauthorized computer access. The court considered an additional 21 charges during sentencing. For voyeurism, offenders can face up to two years in prison, a fine, caning, or a combination of these penalties. Distributing obscene images carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine, caning, or a combination. Unauthorized data access can result in a fine of up to 5,000 SGD (approximately 3,900 USD), up to two years in prison, or both.