Fitness to practise guide published

The GDC’s fitness to practise procedures are intended to enable the council to protect the public by dealing with concerns about dentists effectively, promptly and fairly.  Hempsons’ guide, produced by its highly experienced dento-legal team, explains the GDC’s processes, which are becoming increasingly complex.

The head of Hempsons’ dental department, Chris Morris, is a qualified dentist as well as a senior and respected solicitor, a member of the British Dental Association and president of the Dental Law & Ethics Forum.  Chris explains: “The central function of the GDC is to create and maintain a register of dentists and dental care professionals.  The GDC also has an ongoing role to strengthen patient protection, which it carries out in a number of ways. The introduction of the Dental Complaints Service for private treatment was one such initiative, as was the decision to register and regulate all members of the clinical dental team.”  The GDC’s fitness to practise procedures are also intended to improve patient protection, not least by its powers to deal with underperforming dentists.