Consultation launched into fitness to practise operations

The proposals are part of the dental regulator’s commitment to developing a system of regulation that is fair and proportionate by improving its fitness to practise process.

The proposed changes are to the case observation process, which is completed by the casework team when the GDC determines that a complaint, or other information received about a registrant, amounts to an allegation of impaired fitness to practise. The process provides dental professionals with the opportunity to respond to fitness to practise allegations made against them. It is a process focused on achieving transparency and fairness. 

Currently, during the case observations stage, the GDC will – in all cases – contact the registrant for their observations on the allegation. When the registrant has responded, the GDC will – again in all cases – return to the informant who made the complaint and ask for their response to the registrant’s observations. In most cases, comments provided by informants at this stage offer no new information and tend to repeat the information first submitted as part of their concern.