The handling of a recent Freedom of Information (FOI) request has shown the GDC demonstrating their love hate relationship with the concepts of trust and transparency. That the FOI was related to an area where the GDC‘s performance has been recognised as particularly poor, underlines the gulf between what they say and what they do.
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As clinicians know to their cost, the threat of a clinical negligence accusation is an ‘occupational hazard‘ across all medical sectors and dentistry is no exception.
Read more: Clinical Negligence Legal Costs Must Be Contained Warns DDU
The General Dental Council [GDC] has a history of using covert surveillance including under-guise investigators, when building Fitness to Practise (FTP) cases. In 2021 it admitted ‘unlawfully undertaking an under-guise operation without reasonable justification‘, and paid an undisclosed sum of damages to a clinical dental technician supported by Dental Protection. The GDC had instructed an under-guise operation creating a fictitious scenario with two private investigators posing as relatives of “Evelyn”, an elderly relative who needed dentures but was too ill to attend in person.
Read more: GDC To Continue Surveillance and Under Guise Investigations
Leading dental implant manufacturer Straumann has sold DrSmile, its direct-to-consumer clear-aligner business to Barcelona based Impress Group.
Tony Hamilton-Smith, better known as The Lord Colwyn CBE, has died at the age of 82. Parallel careers as a dentist and jazz musician were later joined by an increasingly active role in the House of Lords. In his later years as one of the remaining hereditary peers, he was a spokesman and supporter for his two passions.
Read more: Dentist, Jazzman, Peer and Campaigner, the Life of Lord Colwyn
A practice on the South coast that was suddenly closed down when its corporate owner failed, is to reopen. In July 2024 the Astradent group suddenly closed its portfolio of 8 practices including Brunswick Place Dental in Southampton.
Read more: Closed Corporate Group Revived - NHS Services on Hold