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Raise a concern if you work in dentistry

If you work in dentistry and want to report wrongdoing that you have seen at work, you may be protected in law as a whistleblower.

The issue you are reporting needs to be in the public interest. Whistleblowing (disclosures in the public interest) and reporting a public protection concern are not always the same. Read the guidance below before identifying yourself as a whistleblower.

If you are a registered dental professional, you have a responsibility to record and report any patient safety incidents as soon as you can, and to take action if patients or colleagues are at risk. We provide guidance on raising concerns in Standards for the Dental Team.

We cannot resolve workplace grievances or disputes.

Whistleblowing

Some types of wrongdoing count as whistleblowing.

You will need to be an employee and the incident will normally be something you’ve seen at work, though not always.

You can blow the whistle about an incident or issue:

  • that has happened in the past
  • is happening in your workplace now
  • you believe will happen in the near future.

If you work in the NHS (or HSC in Northern Ireland), you should consider using the whistleblowing procedures where you work.

As a whistleblower you’re protected by law. Read the UK government advice on whistleblowing before reporting. It explains who is protected by law and the types of complaints that count as whistleblowing.

You may also be able to get advice from:

Workplace grievances

Workplace grievances should be raised with your employer using your work procedures. Contact your trade union or the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service for help. 

We cannot resolve workplace grievances or disputes.

Some issues or incidents that happen at work may amount to a serious concern about the behaviour of a dental professional. You should review our guidance, and if your think action is needed to protect you or others, report it to us. 

Reporting your issue or concern

We investigate serious concerns and act in the public interest.  

If you are unsure about whether the wrongdoing you have seen at work is something you should report, think about what might happen if you do not mention it. If in doubt, raise your concern.

Report a public protection issue or concern

Further information

We publish a whistleblowing disclosures report each year detailing how we handle disclosures and the action we’ve taken. 

Find out more about how we look into public protection issues or concerns when they are raised with us.