We in dentistry are a secretive lot and reluctant to be labelled whistle-blowers. Take the ongoing problems at the General Dental Council. Despite a guarded statement from outgoing chair, Alison Lockyear, an excellent article in The Dentist and a Face the Facts radio programme, we really don't know much about what is wrong there.
Why are its Fitness to Practise procedures so criticised? Why do dentists have to pay more? And why was there such a high turnover of personnel, both staff and members, in the past two years? Yes, we know bits, but people there have been reluctant to blow the whistle.
Or take the new contract that is being piloted. We have the hype from the Government about how dreadful the contract was that they inherited from Labour and how wonderful their one will be for patients, dentists and the National Health Service. We have optimistic sounds coming from the British Dental Association.
But how much do we know about how it will actually work? How much will a capitation fee be? How will patients' charges be levied? And what will be the target for numbers registered and penalties for failing to reach the target. Nobody talks; perhaps nobody knows. Someone working in the pilots must think it will all end in tears, but nobody blows the whistle.
The worst example in dentistry however is the scandal over Foundation Training (formerly known as Vocational Training). A scandal because there is every possibility of upwards of 100 final year students or more not being able to get a training place this autumn. These are careers blighted at the beginning with the possibility of never being able to work as a dentist despite their BDS. Finals are stressful at the best of times, without having this added uncertainty.
Yet with one or two honourable exceptions no one is speaking out on behalf of these students. Not the trainers, not the BDA, not the GDC, not the universities themselves. Instead we have reports of bullying, intimidation and threats from those running the recruitment programme. People who should be speaking out are afraid to do so, are cowed into submission.
Let us remember we are supposed to be living in a democracy not a dictatorship. We have seen last year in the Middle East what happens when dictators are threatened. Granted the powers that be in dentistry do not have tanks or bullets, nor can they throw protestors into jail. But any attack on free speech or freedom to express concerns is an attack on democracy.
Dentistry is not alone in the NHS in taking this anti-democratic approach. From the Bristol children's heart hospital to now, the message is simple: 'Whistle-blowers get sacked'. When dismissed or 'eased out' they are usually saddled with a 'gagging clause' preventing them from going public on their concerns.
To his credit the chairman of the health committee and former health secretary, Stephen Dorrell, has spoken out about these pernicious practices. More strength to him and let us hope he turns his attention to what is going on in our profession.