At All Med Pro, as a leading dental indemnity provider, we understand the profound impact that regulatory processes can have on dental professionals. The General Dental Council (GDC) has recently announced significant changes to their publication policy regarding decisions made by the Interim Orders Committee (IOC), a development we support.
The GDC acknowledges the intrusive nature of investigations and recognises the stress that public availability of such information can cause during ongoing investigations. This aligns with our own observations and experiences in supporting dental professionals through challenging times.
Effective immediately, the Dental Professionals Hearings Service will no longer publish determinations made by the IOC. Instead, outcomes will be posted on the GDC’s website following a hearing or review, detailing any actions taken to protect the public, patients, or dental professionals. Restrictions on registration will continue to be listed on the online register, ensuring transparency without unnecessary exposure during the investigative process.
This change reflects the GDC’s commitment to mitigating the adverse effects of the fitness to practise process on dental professionals’ health and wellbeing. The IOC, composed of independent panellists, plays a critical role in assessing serious and immediate risks to public safety and confidence in the profession. They can impose necessary restrictions on a dental professional’s registration to safeguard the public during an ongoing investigation.
Theresa Thorp, Executive Director of Regulation at the GDC, emphasised, “By limiting publication to IOC outcomes and any restrictions on a dental professional’s registration, we aim to maintain public safety and confidence while minimising negative effects on dental professionals during fitness to practise investigations. This change in policy recognises that allegations are untested at an IOC hearing or review because the role of the IOC is to assess risk and not to determine the facts of a case.”
In line with this new policy, all previously published IOC determinations have been removed from the Dental Professionals Hearings Service website. They are now replaced with the outcomes of hearings or reviews. If no order is imposed by the IOC, the outcome will be available online for one month before being removed, thus balancing transparency with discretion.
There may be rare instances where it is in the public interest or in the interests of the dental professional or other concerned parties for the Registrar to apply discretion to this policy. However, the GDC anticipates these circumstances will be exceptional.
At All Med Pro, we believe this policy change is a positive step towards protecting the integrity and mental health of dental professionals while maintaining public trust and safety. We remain committed to supporting our clients through every stage of their professional journey, ensuring they can practice with confidence and peace of mind.
