General Dental Council

General Dental Council (GDC) is a regulatory body in the United Kingdom that maintains standards for dental professionals. It was established by the Dentists Act 1957 and is responsible for regulating dental professionals including dentists, dental nurses, dental technicians, clinical dental technicians, dental hygienists, dental therapists and orthodontic therapists.

History

The General Dental Council was established by the Dentists Act 1957 to regulate dental professionals in the United Kingdom. Its primary role is to protect patient safety and maintain public confidence in dental services. The GDC achieves this by registering qualified professionals, setting standards of dental practice and conduct, assuring the quality of dental education, ensuring professionals stay up to date, helping patients with complaints about a dentist or dental care professional, and working to strengthen patient protection.

Functions

The main functions of the General Dental Council are:

• Registration: The GDC maintains a register of all dental professionals in the UK. Only those on this register are legally allowed to practice dentistry.
• Education: The GDC sets and monitors standards for dental education and training.
• Standards: The GDC sets standards for dental professionals and ensures these standards are met.
• Fitness to Practice: The GDC can take action against dental professionals who do not meet these standards, including removing them from the register.

Structure

The General Dental Council is governed by a Council, which sets the strategic direction of the GDC and ensures it fulfills its statutory duties. The Council is made up of 12 members, six of whom are dental professionals and six of whom are lay members. The Council is supported by a number of committees, including the Standards Committee, the Education Committee, and the Fitness to Practice Committee.

Criticism

The GDC has faced criticism for its handling of complaints and its fitness to practice procedures. Some have argued that the GDC is too slow to handle complaints and that its procedures are not transparent enough. However, the GDC has made efforts to improve its processes and increase transparency.

See also

• Dentistry in the United Kingdom
• Dental education
• Dental professional