A view from the Chair: Listening to stakeholders and sharing learning from complaints and concerns

Listening to stakeholders and helping dental professionals

The GDC has met lots of its stakeholders this month – firstly at the BDIA Showcase.

This is a big event where hundreds of valuable conversations can take place with good opportunities to listen, hear about the issues, understand perceptions and share information about future plans. Colleagues from our Registration, Fitness to Practise and Communications teams were on the stand, answering lots of queries and helping people to know what they need to do to join the register.

In particular, I wanted to share a really positive experience that a colleague from Registration had. Last year at the BDIA show they had met a dentist and explained what she needed to do to restore to the register after being unregistered for a number of years. As a result, the dentist went away to start catching up on their CPD. A few months later at the Dentistry Show they saw each other again on the GDC stand and the Registration colleague was able to reassure the dentist that everything was now ready to restore. They met again at this year’s BDIA, when the dentist came to the GDC stand to thank the same Registration colleague for helping her, as she has now been restored to the register. It is just one example, but what struck me was the value of the continuity of being able to meet the GDC’s team in person over several industry events.

Our Chief Executive, Tom Whiting, also spoke at the BDIA. Tom talked about the need for the GDC to be more outward facing, to keep improving fitness to practise but also addressing the fear that it causes. Tom also shared some of our future priorities. It is worth a look at the speech on our website to find out more.

Hearing from early career dental professionals at the Dental Leadership Network (DLN)

Then the first DLN of the year took place last week, with over 100 external stakeholders gathering to understand and discuss the expectations, development and careers for the future dental team. One of the highlights was to hear first hand from early career dental professionals – a foundation dentist and a recently qualified dental nurse. Their insight and perceptions were very welcome. They each brought to life the realities of the expectations placed on them at the start of their careers and what they would like to see in terms of support and information about career choices and development.

Sharing learning from complaints and concerns

The Dental Complaints Service (DCS) is funded by the GDC to provide a free and impartial service, using trained advisors who aim to help private dental patients and dental professionals settle complaints about private dental care fairly and efficiently. The DCS recently published its performance report for 2023 and 2024. One of the observations was that there has been an increase in the number of complaints and concerns being raised with the DCS in relation to clear aligner treatment, which mostly relate to patients’ expectations not being met or treatment outcomes being compromised.

The GDC’s Senior Clinical Dental Adviser, Shamir Mehta provided a blog post about what we can learn from complaints and concerns in relation to clear aligner treatment.

Although the GDC does not set or provide clinical standards or guidance, the essential clinical expertise that Shamir brings to his role has been used to provide insight into clinical matters arising from complaints and concerns casework. It is one way to share learning from complaints and concerns, and insights from clinical matters that are referred to us.