16.2 GDC Standards & Professionalism

The General Dental Council

The GDC is the statutory regulator of dental professionals in the UK, keeping the register and setting standards. Its core publications:

• 'Standards for the Dental Team' — the ethical framework.
• 'Scope of Practice' — what each registrant group may do.
• 'Preparing for Practice' — the learning outcomes for registration.
• 'Principles' series (consent, confidentiality, raising concerns, etc.).

The Four Principles of 'Standards for the Dental Team'

1. Put patients' interests first.
2. Communicate effectively with patients.
3. Obtain valid consent.
4. Maintain and protect patients' information.
5. Have a clear and effective complaints procedure.
6. Work with colleagues in a way that serves patients' interests.
7. Maintain, develop and work within your professional knowledge and skills.
8. Raise concerns if patients are at risk.
9. Make sure your personal behaviour maintains patients' confidence in you and the dental profession.

These nine principles (often summarised as four core themes — patients' interests, honesty and integrity, professional competence, and raising concerns) frame the professional duty.

Registrant Groups and Scope of Practice

All patient-facing dental professionals must be registered with the GDC (or, for some functions, hold defined competence). The registrant groups:

A registrant may carry out any task for which they are trained, competent, and indemnified and that is within the scope of practice — dentists delegate appropriately and retain overall responsibility for the patient.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

GDC registrants must complete enhanced CPD to maintain their registration:

• Verifiable CPD — planned, with stated outcomes, quality-controlled, with a certificate; counts towards the requirement.
• General (non-verifiable) CPD — self-directed learning.
• A total of hours per cycle (e.g. dentists 100 hours over 5 years, of which a recommended minimum is verifiable), with a personal development plan.
• Core subjects recommended: medical emergencies, safeguarding (adults and children), disinfection/decontamination, radiography/radiation protection.

Failure to maintain CPD, indemnity, or good standing can result in loss of registration.

Indemnity

All clinical registrants must have appropriate professional indemnity (indemnity arrangement) covering their practice — through a defence organisation, the NHS scheme, or an insurer — so patients can seek compensation if harmed. Practising without indemnity is a registrant offence and grounds for fitness-to-practise action.

Raising Concerns (Whistleblowing)

There is a professional duty to raise concerns where patient safety, or the conduct or competence of a colleague, places patients at risk. This is not disloyal — the GDC Standards explicitly require it.

• Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA) — protects workers who make 'qualifying disclosures' in good faith from detrimental treatment or dismissal.
• Raise concerns internally first (to a manager, the lead for safeguarding/patient safety); escalate externally if not resolved (e.g. CQC, GDC, NHS England).
• Disclosures must be made in good faith, based on reasonable belief, and through the proper channels.

When to Raise a Concern

• A colleague's competence is below safe standards.
• A colleague is practising under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Equipment or decontamination processes are unsafe.
• Safeguarding concerns (child or vulnerable adult) arise.
• Fraud or dishonesty.

Fitness to Practise

The GDC can take action where a registrant's fitness to practise is impaired by:

• Misconduct (professional or criminal).
• Poor performance (deficient knowledge or skill).
• A criminal conviction or caution in the UK.
• Physical or mental health affecting practice.
• A determination by another regulatory body.

Outcomes

The standard of proof is the civil standard (balance of probabilities). Health cases are managed supportively where possible; the focus is patient protection.

Complaints

The GDC Standards require a clear and accessible complaints procedure. Practices must respond promptly, acknowledge, investigate, and offer resolution (including signposting to the GDC, the Dental Complaints Service, or the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman where appropriate). A culture of openness, the duty of candour (see 14.3), and learning from complaints are expected.