Concern over dental regulator’s covert investigations

Dental Protection’s concern stems from a 2016 case where it defended a dental technician who was the subject of an anonymous complaint to the GDC that he may be working without registration, due to his laboratory being in a bespoke setting in his home. Two months later the GDC instructed an under-guise operation where two private investigators attended an appointment posing as relatives of an elderly lady “Evelyn” who needed new partial dentures but was very ill and could not attend in person.

The fictitious scenario unfairly attempted to lure the dental technician into doing something against his better judgement on compassionate grounds – but the investigation was also far removed from the original complaint which was about registration.

An Interim Orders Committee concluded that any evidence from the investigation was flawed and unfair, and the GDC Practice Committee halted any further action on grounds that the investigation demonstrated abuse of process. Dental Protection, alongside legal firm BLM, also sought an order against the GDC to recover legal costs, which the GDC conceded in August.