In the upscale Perth suburb of Claremont, everything seems picture-perfect.
The streets are lined with mansions, luxury cars are the norm, and private schools shape the next generation of Australia’s elite.
But not everything behind those manicured hedges is as flawless as it looks.
Take the Spanish-style estate on one of Claremont’s most prestigious streets.
Renovations are in full swing—tradespeople come and go, the garage now houses a makeshift carpentry setup, and a skip bin overflows with building debris.
The home belongs to Dr Clara Hurst—a former dentist turned successful skincare entrepreneur.
But it’s not just renovations happening behind the scenes.
Clara has been at the centre of a deeply personal and public crisis tied to the legacy of her late husband, Dr David Hurst.
A Glittering Life Meets a Grim Reality
Clara is a well-known figure in Perth’s social and beauty circles.
She co-founded the skincare brand The Secret and runs the high-end cosmetic salon Blanc in Cottesloe.
But for months now, she’s been dodging emails and calls—not from clients of her own, but from patients of her late husband.
David Hurst, once a practising dentist, died suddenly at Crown Perth casino last December while Clara and their children were holidaying in Bali.
While the details of his death haven’t been made public, authorities say there’s no foul play suspected.
What followed his passing, however, was a flood of revelations that shocked many in the local community.
Millions Missing and a Business in Ruins
Dr David Hurst left behind more than just a grieving family.
It turns out his dental business, Perth Dental Rooms, was financially crumbling long before he passed.
A liquidator’s report revealed he had siphoned a staggering $7.1 million from the business—$4.1 million of that in just 18 months.
Meanwhile, the clinic only brought in $2.7 million in profit during the same period.
By the time insolvency professionals were called in, the company owed $4.8 million to creditors.
Clara stepped in during the chaos, only to discover that the clinic had been trading insolvent since mid-2023—something she claims to have known nothing about at the time.
The Patients Left in Limbo
Many of Dr Hurst’s patients had paid upfront for expensive dental procedures—over $2.3 million collectively.
Some used their superannuation funds after being encouraged by the clinic to take advantage of compassionate early release provisions.
While a few received partial treatment, many were left with nothing at all.
Others say they were left with botched dental work that will cost thousands more to fix.
These patients are now trying to claim compensation through Dr Hurst’s professional indemnity insurance.
But there’s a catch: the executor of his estate—the person responsible for handling those claims—is Clara herself.
A Dark Past Comes to Light
It turns out Dr Hurst wasn’t new to controversy. Before moving to Australia in 2013, he had been convicted in the UK for stealing more than £15,000 from Britain’s NHS.
Despite the criminal conviction, he was able to re-register as a dentist in Australia with no apparent hurdles.
One of his patients, Amanda McQuillan, knows the cost of trusting him all too well.
She used $60,000 of her super to pay for dental implants after years of trauma from domestic violence.
“I wanted to get rid of that daily reminder,” she said tearfully.
But Amanda never received a single treatment. Dr Hurst died before the work could begin.
Broken Promises and Legal Nightmares
Amanda isn’t alone. Annette Young, another former patient, paid $52,800 for dental work after living in chronic pain for decades due to a hit-and-run accident.
She says Hurst left her with poorly executed procedures, dead teeth, and a constant struggle to eat.
She has since remortgaged her home to cover corrective treatment.
To make matters worse, many former patients say they’ve received no reply from the Gmail account Clara set up to manage insurance claims.
Aria Dental, the clinic Clara briefly enlisted to help former patients, is now owed nearly $466,000 and listed as a major creditor.
Financial Controversy and Public Scrutiny
Adding fuel to the fire, reports surfaced that Clara had transferred $370,000 from her late husband’s estate into her mortgage account. The Claremont home comes with a staggering $54,000 monthly repayment. Clara claims the transfer happened before she knew the business was insolvent, and that the money has since been returned.
She also insists she hasn’t taken a cent from the estate and that any renovations or business operations are being funded through her own means. “It appears the estate is currently insolvent,” she stated via her crisis management firm.
Avoiding the Spotlight
Throughout this saga, Clara has largely avoided speaking to the media. When contacted by the reporter for comment, she reportedly hung up and later flagged the journalist’s messages on WhatsApp, resulting in a locked account. Shortly after, she hired a PR firm to handle communications. She’s also believed to be planning a trip to Europe with her children soon.
What’s Next?
For now, the fate of the patients left in financial and physical pain is uncertain. Clara maintains she is working diligently to fulfill her role as executor of the estate and that she sympathises with those affected. But with no clear pathway to compensation, many former patients are left to fend for themselves.
Meanwhile, Clara’s business continues as usual, even as her personal life remains under intense scrutiny. The grand façade of her Claremont mansion may soon be complete—but the cracks in the story behind it are still painfully visible.