'Public should do its job'

The suggestion by the GDC is being widely seen as a misguided attempt to defuse public concern over the issue of insurance for dentists, which is currently not mandatory in this country.

Members of the public have been sent a guidance leaflet from the GDC encouraging them to discuss the issue with their dentist, so that if something goes wrong they can be sure compensation is available.

According to the fact sheet from the GDC, patients should be confident that the vast majority of dentists will have measures in place, even though the GDC does not insist on it.

Bridge the Gap campaigners, who are fighting for a change in the law to make it a legal requirement to have insurance or indemnity, were incredulous.

“This beggars belief,” said campaign head David Corless- Smith. “The GDC is always trying to get someone else to take responsibility. Dentists are urged to ‘make sure’ they do the right thing by their patients. Now the GDC is proposing that the public should do the job of insurance checking. Why doesn’t the GDC itself make sure that every patient is fully protected – surely that is the job of a regulator?”