Court documents show Sathe fraudulently obtained $49,274, which he has repaid. He paid a further $45,000 in civil liabilities which included a contribution to the cost of the investigation.
Counsel for the PCC, Anita Miller, told today's hearing in Parnell that Sathe's offending was not a victimless crime and both his clients and the dental profession had suffered as a result.
"This is a four-and-a-half year systematic pattern of offending [and] a gross breach of trust."
Harry Waalkens QC, representing Sathe, said his client did not deserve the "harsh and unreasonable" penalty of licence cancellation, but the lesser punishment of suspension.
Sathe was a first-time offender, showed genuine remorse, and a psychological assessment found there was an "extremely remote" chance of him reoffending.
"This was a substantial fall from grace for ... a man who was a respected member of the dental profession," Mr Waalkens said.
The tribunal suspended Sathe's registration for 12 months from today and imposed several conditions for the two years after the suspension ends.
Sathe would not be able to own his own practice or make financial transactions, and would have to take a Dental Council course in law and ethics.
He would not be able to practise without the presence of a Dental Council-approved supervisor at all times - which he would have to pay for.