BDA attacks GDC over its ‘irresponsible’ advertisement
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- Published: Friday, 22 August 2014 09:24
- Written by News Editor
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The British Dental Association (BDA) has responded to news that the General Dental Council (GDC) is to team up with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) to combat ‘irresponsible’ advertising. Mick Armstrong said: “The dental regulator has just spent thousands on a campaign that is clearly at odds with its own policy on advertising. It’s time the GDC practised what it preaches.”
The General Dental Council (GDC) says it is clamping down on illegal practice by working with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) to tackle misleading marketing. A joint commitment has been reached between the two organisations to try to deal with misleading and harmful practice. The GDC will investigate and prosecute incidences of the illegal practice of dentistry and the ASA will work with the GDC to deal with misleading advertising. They have agreed an effective and efficient referral process for complaints in relation to advertising materials which may breach the Advertising Codes. But the BDA points out that the GDC recently spent £27,715 on an advertising campaign encouraging complaints from private dental patients, including a full page colour advert in the Telegraph that has drawn criticism from across the profession.
The Chair of the BDA’s Principal Executive Committee, Mick Armstrong, said: “How fitting that in the week Facebook announces a ‘satire’ tag word reaches us the GDC is to team up with the ASA on ‘irresponsible’ advertising. A quick glimpse at the GDC website has assured us we are not looking at a spoof, but the latest vanity project from a regulator in crisis. The dental regulator has just spent thousands on a campaign that is clearly at odds with its own policy on advertising. It’s time the GDC practised what it preaches.”
The GDC’s guidance states that adverts help patients make informed choices about their dental care and 'advertising that is false, misleading or has the potential to mislead, is unprofessional, may lead to a fitness to practise investigation and can be a criminal offence.' The guidance also advises dental registrants to provide 'balanced, factual information which enables them (patients) to make an informed choice about their treatment'.
The regulator’s Telegraph advert failed to mention that patients could discuss matters with their dental practice directly, before enlisting the support of the GDC’s Dental Complaints Service (DCS). Instead of referring to local resolution as a first step to addressing concerns, the GDC advert encouraged patients who are 'not completely happy’ with their private dental care to contact the DCS.
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