A successful outcome?

Chairman of DPAS Quentin Skinner used this year’s Dental Showcase to publicise a campaign in opposition to the Care Quality Commission’s regulation of dentistry. Quentin is vociferous in his arguments against this aspect of CQC regulation, in which he questions the need for what he regards as duplication of effort in regard to compliance. In this article I will explain further why CQC regulation of dentistry is unwelcome and unnecessary.

We appreciate that the CQC is a welcome initiative in areas of health provision that are as yet unregulated, or not sufficiently regulated, however the proposed regulation of dentistry is already adequately covered by GDC registration and we are unconvinced of the need for additional layers of bureaucracy.

Whilst the Government overloads the dental profession with regulation, we have the absolute absurdity that tattooists and piercing parlours for example are still left with no statutory requirements for any form of registration. This situation completely undermines the professional status of dentists and the public deserves an explanation for this waste of resources when public funding is being cut to the bone. There is no evidence that this additional need to register with the CQC will have any positive impact on outcomes for patients.