Outgoing Chair of the GDC Reflects on his Term
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- Published: Tuesday, 01 July 2025 08:16
- Written by Peter Ingle
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‘Not as bad as Bill Moyes‘ may be a low bar, but as his departure from the GDC this September gets closer, many registrants will pause to reflect on Lord Toby Harris‘s four years as GDC Chair.
He spoke at a recent meeting of the Dental Leadership Council for the fourth, and last time, in June, and reflected on his time leading the regulator.
The title of the meeting was ‘The future is here; are we ready?’ Lord Harris said that it perfectly summed up the fact that dentistry and the context for both patients and professionals had changed substantially in recent years and was likely to continue to do so. This in turn had led him to reflect on his four years at the GDC, and going beyond that, to share some of his thoughts for the future.
Arriving as Chair during the pandemic he had rapidly become aware that the sector was under great pressure. Given the traditional role of the GDC it is revealing that he also commented on the “underlying and worsening position on the availability and access to NHS dentistry.”
He added, “I also set out to work collaboratively with colleagues from across the professions to ensure that our approach to regulation would be proportionate and focused on the important areas of public safety, to ensure public confidence in the professions we regulate.”
He went on to list some of the things that he had been pleased to see over the last four years at the GDC. These included:
- The GDC becoming involved in the dental workforce debate, and its move to gathering, analysing and sharing data from dental professionals.
- The GDC modernising and improving the framework of learning outcomes for education for all dental professionals.
- The GDC has also made changes to the fitness to practise process, such as the introduction of a new approach to initial inquiries, enabling more rapid closure of some cases.
- The expansion in capacity of the Overseas Registration Examination. He did concede that, “that many will say not by enough.” The GDC is also giving candidates with refugee status priority booking for the ORE.
- That there is now a better understanding of the impact of fitness to practise on the mental health and wellbeing of dental professionals – and the GDC is committed to address this and also address the causes of fear, in the years ahead.
Lord Harris said that he was very pleased that in the GDC’s proposed strategy, their mission is: “Through trusted and effective regulation, support dental professionals to provide the right care for their patients.”
This would underpin their vision of “Good oral health for all.”
Looking ahead, post Lord Harris, the GDC intends to think more broadly about what that means in the context of such challenges as access to NHS dentistry and the growing inequalities in oral health.
No longer simply responsible for protecting the public by manging professional regulation, the GDC “can play a key role in creating the environment in which there are more dental professionals equipped to deliver the care that people need.”
A new chair has now been selected and that recommendation has gone forward to the Privy Council. The name of the successful candidate will be announced in due course.
The ‘Dental Leadership Network’ is a creation of the GDC, organised by the GDC, and holds meetings on an invitation only basis.
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