Investigating Committee

The Investigating Committee (IC) is a statutory committee of the Council. The IC has a duty to consider allegations where a registrant's ability to practice as a dental professional may be effected. The IC can decide if such allegations should be referred to a Practice Committee for a full inquiry. The IC considers cases which they may have previously adjourned or cases where the case examiners have failed to make a decision.

The IC may also: 

• be asked to review a previous decision made by them to refer a case to a Practice Committee
• issue a warning
• close an allegation.

The IC meets in private and is made up of three trained committee members drawn from an independently appointed pool. The Committee will be made up of at least one registered dentist, one lay member and, in cases that concern a dental care professional (DCP), at least one registered DCP.

The IC is not asked to decide the facts of the case. The IC do not consider if the allegations made against a registrant are true or not true. The IC is required instead to consider if there is a real prospect that the allegation in the case could be proved and that, if proven, it would suggest that the registrant's ability to practice as a dental professional may be effected.

The IC has a number of options available when making a decision.

These are:

• To adjourn the case for further information.
• To close the case and take no further action.
• To issue a letter of advice to the registrant.
• To issue a warning to the registrant.
• To issue a warning to the registrant and direct that the warning should be published on the GDC website.
• To ask the registrant to agree a series of undertakings on their registration.
• To refer the case to one of the three Practice Committees for a full inquiry.

The GDC's three Practice Committees are:

• The Professional Conduct Committee.
• The Health Committee.
• The Professional Performance Committee.

It is important to note that when one or both of the case examiners consider it appropriate, they may refer the case to the Interim Orders Committee (IOC). The IOC will consider if a dental professional's registration should be suspended, or made subject to conditions, prior to the full hearing.

Investigating Committee Members

The Investigating Committee currently has ten members, of which four are dentists, two are DCPs and four are lay.