Professional guidance

The General Dental Council has issued guidance to dental professionals generally and specifically on complaints handling.

We expect that dental professionals will want to work with us to resolve complaints from their patients in the spirit of the ethical guidance provided by the General Dental Council. It is possible that in a few cases non-cooperation with the Dental Complaints Service may raise a question as to a dental professional's fitness to practise and if appropriate the matter may be notified to the Professional Standards Department of the General Dental Council. While we have no formal power to enforce our recommendations, we expect that they will almost always be followed.

The Fitness to Practise Policy Committee of the General Dental Council has approved Guidance to explain how the relationship between the Dental Complaint Service and General Dental Council is intended to operate, in the course of handling complaints.