GDC GazetteThe magazine for the dental team Winter 2011 www.gdc-uk.org

What patients want from youPatient and registrant survey results 10

•About the GDC Annual report The year in review 6

•Education and learning Revalidation What happens now 4

•Fitness to practiseImproving our processes How the changes will affect you 9

GDC Gazette

2 | Winter 2011

•Welcome •Contents

First word

This September saw Kevin O’Brien elected as Chair of the GDC. Kevin is well known to many registrants as Professor of Orthodontics at

Manchester Dental School and as the former Chair of the GDC’s Education Committee and Specialist Dental Education Board.

Kevin has significant experience in dentistry and in the effective running of complex organisations. He was the Dean of the Dental School from 2004-2007 and Associate Dean of the Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences from 2007-2010.

Kevin led the development of the GDC’s new Learning Outcomes and one of his first tasks as Chair was to lead the Council meeting which approved them. The new approach to education shifts the focus of our quality assurance from assessing the inputs to assessing the outcomes. These span all registrant categories, and replace ‘The First Five Years’ and ‘Developing the Dental Team’ with a combined publication.

Learning Outcomes will help define standards for newly qualified registrants to deliver better patient care upon first registration and provide a better foundation for development to fully competent practitioners. Among other aims, they will deliver:• greater patient focus in education and

training leading to registration • educational standards that can be responsive

to changes in public expectations and evolve in the light of such changes

• better trained and equipped new registrants that reflect the full range of knowledge, skills and behaviours that a student or trainee must demonstrate to the level appropriate for registration.

A new outcomes-based GDC quality assurance process to accompany the new learning outcomes is being developed separately and implementation is planned from the academic year 2012/13.

•RevalidationRevalidation – what happens now 4

•StandardsScope of practice update 5

•About the GDCAnnual report – the year in numbers 6 What do patients expect from their dental professional? 10

•Fitness to PractiseTackling illegal practice 8Fitness to practise update 9

•Get in touchWe answer your questions 12

• Investigating Committee learningPutting patients’ interests first 13

•Conduct casesConduct case files 14 Case listings 18

Front cover: Paul Forbes at the Eastman Dental Institute. Photographer: Rebecca Marshall.

GDC does not represent, warrant, or endorse and accepts no liability for any comments or opinions expressed by external individuals or organisations that may be published in the GDC Gazette from time to time. Any such comments or opinions made by third parties do not necessarily reflect General Dental Council policy and may not be the opinions of the GDC, its employees or partners. Such comments or opinions should not be construed as legal, medical or other advice or guidance and any reliance on such comments or opinions is entirely at your own risk. Nothing shall relieve GDC of any liability for death or personal injury caused by its negligence.

Stay on top of GDC newsIf you don’t want to wait for news from the GDC, visit our website and sign up for RSS feeds.

GENERAL DENTAL COUNCIL, 37 Wimpole Street, London W1G 8DQ

All information correct at the time of publication. To share your views, or request a large print version, please contact information@gdc-uk.org or call 0845 222 4141

CLARIFICATIONThe General Dental Council takes every effort to ensure that information published in the Gazette is accurate and of use to readers. We are therefore very sorry that an article on page 9 of the Summer 2011 Gazette has caused confusion, in particular the paragraph: “Registrants are also reported where there is an absence of required equipment, for example a defibrillator, an apron for use with radiographs, or bitewing holders for children.”We would like to clarify that it is best practice – not a legal requirement – to have this equipment in dental surgeries. This information has been removed from the online version of the Gazette and we apologise for any confusion this may have caused.

GDC Gazette is published and produced by the General Dental Council.

•Events

www.gdc-uk.org

•The bigger picture

information@gdc-uk.org | 3

Don’t forget your flu jabThe Department of Health is reminding frontline healthcare workers to get vaccinated against seasonal influenza (flu). This ensures that you, your staff, and patients are protected, and reduces the risk of the virus being passed to vulnerable patients. Last year, 50% of people under 65 in high risk groups did not get a flu jab; you can help increase the uptake of the vaccine by promoting it to eligible patients. l You can find more information about the flu jab at www.nhs.uk

Not just left to your own devicesThe Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is urging dental professionals to tackle potential risks to both patients and users. In the UK, the MHRA regulates the manufacture of medical devices, to ensure that it is safe and effective.

They investigate reports of faulty equipment, which can result in manufacturers

changing the design of their products, improving instructions or even recalling products.

You can help ensure the safety of dental equipment by reporting adverse incidents and near misses. Your reports could help improve the safety of equipment used every day.l For more information on the MHRA’s work and advice on safe device use and reporting incidents, visit www.mhra.gov.uk

Partner regulationThe GDC’s Standards for Dental Professionals states that you should ‘find out about laws and regulations which affect your work, premises, equipment and business and follow them’.

Visit the websites listed below for more information on the specific registration requirements that apply to different regions of the UK. You should also make sure you’re meeting the legal requirements that apply in your country.

This year we’ve been out and aboutdiscussing the key issues with you.

Useful links• Care Quality Commission, England

www.cqc.org.uk • Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority,

Northern Ireland www.rqia.org.uk• Healthcare Improvement Scotland

www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org• Health Inspectorate Wales www.hiw.org.uk

Come and meet us in 2012Next year, you can meet us at the following events:

Meet the GDC

When: January, February and March 2012Where: Bristol, Londonderry/Derry, Glasgow and LlandudnoVisit www.gdc-uk.org for dates, venues, and to sign up.

British Medical Dental Careers Fair

When: 3 MarchWhere: Glasgowwww.mdcareersfair.com

The Dentistry Show

When: 2-3 MarchWhere: Birminghamwww.thedentistryshow.co.uk

The year in numbers

events organised for registrants across the UK.

of delegates in Edinburgh felt they had a chance to contribute to the discussion.

visits for vocational trainees to meet us and learn about our role.

trade shows and conferences, including the Dental Showcase and British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy conference.

of respondents at the 50+ Show told the DCS they would feel confident asking their dentist questions about their treatment.

60

86%

96%

05

05

You said: The system must be unbiased, and needs to be practicable for a wide range of workplaces.We agree. For revalidation to have the trust and confidence of the profession, patients, and public, it must be free from bias and workable across all forms of dentistry and different workplaces. We will continue to develop our proposals in light of our research and conversations with stakeholders.

You said: Patients and the public should be involved in the revalidation process.Public involvement can contribute to an accountable, transparent

In 2010 we held a consultation to hear people’s views on our plans for revalidation. We are committed to developing an

approach that works well for dentists, while assuring patients and the public that dentists are up to date and practising in accordance with our standards.

You said: Revalidation should not involve too much bureaucracy or duplication of effort.We agree. We want to develop a system that is workable, proportionate and cost effective, and we are looking at how existing regulation and quality assurance can contribute to revalidation, to avoid duplication.

You said: Our three-stage approach seems appropriate, but there are some concerns around the process of third party verification.While our work so far has focused on the three stage model, we feel it is important that our plans meet the needs of registrants and public protection. Therefore any proposal will be developed and adapted if our research and engagement suggests a more workable, appropriate solution, and our proposal will be tested and piloted before being put in place.

GDC Gazette

4 | Winter 2011

•Revalidation

Our approach to revalidation is developing – read on to find outwhat we are doing,and how your opinions will shapeour plans.

and patient-focused system. We are considering the ways that patients can help to shape the process, and building these into our proposals where possible.

So what happens now?As our proposals for revalidation continue to develop and evolve we need to engage with registrants and other stakeholders and listen to a wide range of views. It is crucial that any plans for revalidation are workable, cost-effective and free from unnecessary burdens. We will undertake further consultation as our model of revalidation continues to develop.

l For more information about revalidation please see www.gdc-uk.org or email revalidation@ gdc-uk.org

Revalidation – what happens now

information@gdc-uk.org | 5

•Standards

•Registration

www.gdc-uk.org

•UpdateTake note – new guidance on remote prescribing

Remote prescribing, for

example via telephone, email, or online, shall not be used in the provision of non-surgical cosmetic procedures such as the prescription or administration of Botox or injectable cosmetic medicinal products.

Scope of Practice updateOur Scope of Practice guidance for all registrants was published in 2009. It sets out the skills and abilities each registrant group should have when you qualify, further skills you might go on to develop during your career and duties which are restricted to other registrant groups. We are currently reviewing the Scope of Practice guidance to make sure that it is still accurate and relevant. We plan to launch a consultation on the proposed revisions to the guidance following the Council meeting in December. If you sign up for updates at www.gdc-uk.org we will let you know when you can view the proposed changes and have your say on them.

Standards review – have you had your say yet?We have had a good response since launching our review of our ethical guidance “Standards for Dental Professionals”, but we are keen to hear from as wide a range of registrants as possible. Any changes will have a direct impact on you so do not miss the chance to have your say. l Go to www.gdc-uk.org and search for ‘standards review’.

Direct AccessDirect access is an issue that could have a significant impact on how you potentially work in the future. Going ahead with it would be a major policy and concept change and this issue is therefore being considered separately to our Scope of Practice review. It is on the agenda for our Policy Advisory Committee meeting in December. This should give us a clearer idea of how big this piece of work will be and how long it will take.

We want to hear more about your continuing professional development (CPD) experiences so we can make sure our requirements are appropriate and up to date. Have your say and let

us know how CPD works for you by emailing your comments to CPDReview@gdc-uk.org.

You are still expected to meet our current CPD requirements, and we have recently updated our booklets which describe what CPD is, and what you need to do to meet the requirements. These can be ordered online at www.gdc-uk.org or by calling 0845 222 4141. Find out more about providing in house CPD on page 12.

We are freezing the annual retention fee for dentists and dental care professionals for 2012. This means dentists will pay £576 by 31 December 2011 and dental care professionals will pay £120 by 31 July 2012.

The ARF funds our work in registering qualified professionals, setting standards of dental practice, assuring the quality of dental education, and running the Dental Complaints Service.

Reminder on discount deals

CPD review and new look booklets

ARF freeze

Discount deals offered by companies like Groupon and Living Social are growing

in popularity, with many sites now offering deals on dental procedures, including tooth whitening and veneers. The GDC’s current guidance for dental professionals states they should not make claims which could mislead patients, they should be trustworthy and

honest and they should ensure that they do not put their financial interests before their patients’ interests. We can take action to restrict or stop a dental professional practising if these standards are not met.

If you are considering offering a treatment deal, you must assess the patient, obtain valid consent, obtain a medical history and explain all the options before carrying out any work. You must put patients’ interests before your own or those of any colleague, organisation or business.

GDC Gazette

6 | Winter 2011

•About the GDC

Under the spotlight: delivering effective regulation O

ur annual report and accounts includes a breakdown of our registers and specialist

lists, the sources and numbers of complaints we received and how we dealt with them.

The report also highlights the work we did in 2010 to deliver against our business plan and improvements we have made in standards, registration, fitness to practise, quality assurance and the Dental Complaints Service. A detailed set of accounts is also included.

Our 2011 report will be submitted to parliament next summer. The full 2010 report is available on our website www.gdc-uk.org

Where our money comes from

2010 income £’000

Fees 22,425

Overseas registration exam 1,925

Other miscellaneous 12

Total operating income 24,362

2009-2010 – a year in numbersWho complained Who are our registrants?

How fees are spent

How fees are spent

0

300

600

900

1200

1500

38,37957,204Total

number of people95,583

Who are our registrants?

Dentist

Dental Care Professional

Register group

Our progress in 2010, and our plans for the future

Every year, the GDC submits our annual report and accounts to theUK parliament, Scottish parliament, and Welsh and Northern Irish assemblies. On these pages we set out some highlights from our 2010 report.

www.gdc-uk.org

information@gdc-uk.org | 7

PCC hearings outcomes

Erased 3

Erased with immediate suspension 19

Suspended 13

Suspended with immediate suspension 14

Conditions 27

Serious Professional Misconduct (SPM) postponed judgment

2

SPM or impaired – admonished or reprimanded

8

Case concluded after postponed judgement/suspension/conditions

7

Referred to Health Committee 1

Fitness to practise not impaired 16

Total no. of cases heard 110

Complaints made 2010 2009

Total reports received 1,401 1,149

Cases analysed by caseworkers 1,328 1,144

Referred to the Investigating Committee 782 821

Referred to the Health Committee/Professional Conduct Committee/Professional Performance Committee

224 178

What we achieved

How fees are spent

Percentage of male and female dentist and DCPs

2010 income £’000

Who complained Who are our registrants?

How fees are spent

How fees are spent

0

300

600

900

1200

1500

Staff – 9,219

Legal and professional fees – 10,047

Council and committee meetings –

4,694

Administration – 1,821

Publications – 453Accommodation – 562

Total operating

expenditure 26,796

57% of dentists

are male

90%of DCPs

are female

Issues considered by the Professional Conduct Committee (PCC)

Number of occurrences*

Poor treatment 47

Fraud/dishonesty 17

Poor practice management 17

Failure to obtain consent/explain treatment 17

No professional indemnity insurance 13

Conviction or caution 13

Indecent assault or inappropriate sexual behaviour

9

Other 18

Failure to take appropriate radiographs 5

Prescribing issues 5

Basis of treatment (NHS/private) not clear 5

Misleading advertising 2

Breaching Interim Orders Committee conditions

3

*Cases can often involve more than one issue – these figures represent the main concerns and not every single charge

Who complainedWho complained Who are our registrants?

How fees are spent

How fees are spent

0

300

600

900

1200

1500

Patients – 595

GDC registrants – 222

Primary care organisations

– 90

Police – 60

Other – 434

Total number of complaints

1,401

GDC Gazette

8 | Winter 2011

• Illegal practice

We have received many emails from registrants wanting to know what we are doing now and why beauticians on your local high streets are still whitening teeth. Here we answer some of your questions.

Why have there been no further prosecutions since March?We have been investigating a series of complaints since February with a view to further prosecutions. Building a case takes time, and we do encounter delays and difficulties such as witnesses withdrawing their support. However, we are working on a number of live cases and will publish details of successful prosecutions in due course.

I sent you an advertisement from my local paper featuring a beauty salon offering tooth whitening. What are you doing about it?Advertisements are a useful starting point but on their own

When I complained to you about a salon offering tooth whitening in my local town, why did you reply saying you are not currently investigating all complaints?Tooth whitening is being carried out by non-registrants all over the country. The GDC is not a prosecution service and is not set up to prosecute thousands of companies. Nor do we have the statutory powers necessary to do so. Instead we are currently focusing mainly on those companies we know have already harmed patients.

If they are breaking the law why can’t you simply close them down?We have no powers to close salons down. The Dentists Act makes it an offence for any non GDC registrant to practise dentistry. We believe that tooth whitening amounts to the practice of dentistry, the individuals we have prosecuted have pleaded guilty on this basis and we will continue to prosecute these cases through the criminal courts.

So what else is the GDC doing about illegal tooth whitening? We have been campaigning to improve public awareness of tooth whitening and encourage patients who are considering tooth whitening to talk to a dentist before treatment and then choose a registered dentist, hygienist or therapist for their treatment rather than getting tooth whitening at a salon.

l If you would like to make a complaint about tooth whitening please email: IllegalPractice@gdc-uk.org. For more advice about who can carry out tooth whitening in the dental team, please see the Get in Touch feature on page 12.

Tackling illegal practice in tooth whitening

they are not sufficient basis for a prosecution. We first have to identify the individuals involved and gather evidence of the offence taking place; visiting witnesses, taking statements and carrying out site visits. We consider each complaint individually and have launched full investigations after receipt of advertisements but we ask that you are patient and understand that we cannot do so in every case.

For more information on tooth whitening, or to download our patient advice leaflet, please visit our website, www.gdc- uk.org

www.gdc-uk.org

•Fitness to practise

information@gdc-uk.org | 9

One of our key duties in protecting the public is to make sure that when we receive a complaint about a registrant, we do the best we can to deal with the complaint in a satisfactory manner.

Our main priority is to act in the best interests of patient protection. We need

to investigate all complaints thoroughly and ensure that we are fully aware of the facts. If the complaint suggests that a registrant poses a risk to patients, we need to consider how we can take proportionate and fair action to reduce that risk. There are a number of things that we need to bear in mind.

Our fitness to practise operations must be:• Proportionate: our intervention

must be necessary and appropriate to the risk posed

• Consistent: rules, standards and procedures must be clear and followed methodically

• Targeted: we must focus on the problem and reaching an outcome

• Transparent and accountable: we must be open and able to justify our decisions

• Timely: cases must be investigated in an acceptable timeframe

• Cost conscious: cases are funded by the annual retention fee and we have a duty to provide value for money.

Following recent performance reports, we have focused on improvements including reducing the backlog of cases in progress, reducing the time taken to complete investigations, and developing better quality assurance arrangements.

As your regulator, we must set high standards for our own performance. We are taking action to improve our fitness to practise processes, and

have set up a review group to identify areas for improvement. We are working on a number of changes, including:

3 New systems to help us to manage case information better

3 Reviewing our processes and improving our internal guidance

3 Appointing an internal quality assurance team to check our performance

3 Holding more hearings and decision meetings to reduce delays.

We are confident that this will help us to assure the public and the dental profession that we are performing our public protection duties as well as we possibly can. We have already begun to see results, including a reduction in our caseload from over 1000 in February to just over 900 by July,

Neil Marshall

Director of Regulation

“We are currently undergoing a challenging and exciting period of change as we seek to improve the way that we manage fitness to practise cases. We have spent the past six months reviewing our processes and developing new and innovative ideas about how we want to operate. We are now well underway with putting these ideas into practice and I am delighted with the improving trends that we have seen so far. There is, of course, much more to be done over the coming months as we seek to further improve our performance, but I am confident that we have the quality of staff and resources that we need to meet the challenge.”

Perspective

a fall in the number of cases waiting to be considered by the Investigating Committee by 38% since February, and a reduction in the number of cases awaiting a formal hearing by 13% since February.

The progress we have made over the last six months has shown that we are moving in the right direction. We will be doing even more to improve our performance and will keep you informed in future editions of the Gazette.

Improving our processes will strengthen patient support

GDC Gazette

•About the GDC

Patient and registrant survey

10 | Winter 2011

We’ve been finding out from patients and registrants what they think are the qualities that promote confidence and trust in dental professionals, and asking about attitudes to dental regulation.

This year the GDC commissioned a survey of a representative sample of patients and the public and a representative survey of GDC registrants across the UK to help inform our work.

Patient and public attitudes to regulationThe patient and public survey found that 65% of respondents have visited a dentist in the last 12 months, and women were more likely than men to have had an appointment. A substantial majority of both patients and the public thought it is very important that dental professionals are regulated, qualified, and registered. The majority of patients who are aware of the GDC (84%) think that dental professionals follow GDC rules, a view shared by registrants (83% of respondents think dentists follow the rules and 81% think DCPs follow the rules).

What do patients expect from their dental professional? Both surveys explored attitudes to the qualities looked for from dental professionals, allowing for comparison between the perspectives of patients and registrants (see table one).

Key priorities identified by patients included the hygiene and cleanliness of practices, knowledge and technical ability of staff, and treatment outcomes. Both patients and registrants also identified treating patients with dignity and respect and good communications skills as important qualities.

This evidence is borne out by many of the complaints received by both the General Dental Council and the Dental Complaints Service, which indicate that customer service

94% of patients are confident that their dentist treats them fairly95% of patients

are satisfied with the dental treatment they’ve received

and communication skills play a crucial role in a patient’s decision to return to their dentist, and a breakdown in communications can lead to complaints.

information@gdc-uk.org | 11

www.gdc-uk.org

Evlynne Gilvarry

Chief Executive and Registrar

Listen, then act. The GDC is committed

to gathering the views of the public, patients and registrants to inform its activities. In practice, this means using research evidence to shape our work.

Our recent survey of registrants found that confidence in the GDC is substantial; 68% of respondents said the GDC is regulating dentists and DCPs effectively. We are far from complacent and are determined to improve in those areas singled out by registrants. As a result, we are redoubling our efforts to improve efficiency, recognising that the cost of regulation falls on registrants. We have heard your concerns about the level of the Annual Retention Fee and the fee will not rise for 2012. We are also overhauling our fitness to practise processes to deliver cost effectiveness, fairness and proportionality for all parties involved.

Your views on the value to patients of empathy and good communication are helping to shape the Standards review, one of the most important pieces of work underway right now.

Many of you said we could improve the way we involve and consult you on major issues. As a result we are running a UK-wide programme of registrant events to hear from you directly and expanding our research programme so we can remain up to date on your current thinking. I hope as many of you as possible will share your views with us.

Perspective

The survey also provides evidence about practical measures that promote patient confidence in dentistry with a consensus among patients, public and registrants about the importance of clear communication about treatment options and efficient administration.

l The patient and public survey was carried out by COMRES in April 2011, and the registrant survey in May and June 2011 by Ipsos MORI. Full details of the surveys can be found at www.gdc-uk.org

Table one

Table two

And how important, if at all, do you think each of the following are in giving patients confidence in you as a dentist/DCP? Please tell us on a scale of 1-10, where 10 means very important and 1 means not at all important.

Very important (10) PublicRegistrants

Regulation and formal accreditation

Displaying clear information about treatment fees and costs

Efficient administration of patient personal records

Being registered with a regulator

Having formal accreditation e.g. certificate in your practice

Having an affiliation with professional bodies

Having letters after your name

69% 71%

67% 70%

52% 75%

41% 64%

37% 65%

15% 45%

Base 2,827 Registrants, 26th May-20th June 2011 Source: Ipsos MORI

How important, if at all, do you think the following qualities are for a dentist or DCP? Please give your answer on a scale of 1-10, where 10 means very important and 1 means not at all important.

Treating patients with dignity and respect

Cleanliness of workplaces, equipment and staff

Good communication skills/explaining things

Involving patients in treatment decisions

Good treatment outcomes/ success rates

Good knowledge/technical ability

Dealing with patients’ complaints/concerns

Being up-to-date with new developments in your field

Very important (10) Public

92%

90%

86%

83%

80%

80%

79%

66%

78%

86%

75%

73%

78%

81%

73%

71%

Base 2,827 Registrants, 26th May-20th June 2011

Qualities of a dental professional

Source: Ipsos MORI

Registrants

GDC Gazette

12 | Winter 2011

•Get in touch

CPD If I arrange a training session for my practice

in-house, does it count as verifiable CPD?

All CPD should have a clear educational basis

and should update dental professionals’ knowledge of contemporary standards of practice. However, not all CPD activities need to be directly related to treatment – patients may benefit from a variety of non clinical activities undertaken by their dentist or dental care professional as part of CPD.

If you want to provide verifiable CPD, you need to:• clearly explain the educational

purpose or aim of the activity• ensure your colleagues know

what they can expect to gain • collect feedback and use it to

improve your sessions

We answer thousands of calls and emails every month. If you’ve got a question about registration or our standards guidance get in touch – we may even print your query to help others in similar situations.

• provide a certificate or proof that your colleagues took part, showing the number of hours they spent on the activity.

We have an advice sheet on our website for CPD providers as well as a template certificate.www.gdc-uk.org/dentalprofessionals/cpd/pages/providing-cpd.aspx

Tooth whitening

Can dental nurses and hygienists carry out tooth

whitening, on their own or under a dentist’s supervision?

The GDC regards all tooth whitening procedures,

including bleach and laser treatment, as the practice of dentistry. Since June 2008, dental hygienists and dental therapists can carry out tooth whitening as an additional skill

Registered addressHow can I update my registered address, and

which address should go on the register?

Your registered address can be your home,

business or even a PO Box; many professionals prefer to use their practice address for reasons of privacy. If you move house or change jobs you must update your address as soon as possible. Otherwise you may miss out on important information and updates which affect your registration. The Dentists Act requires your registered address to be available to the public on the register and on our website, to ensure public confidence in their dental professional, and we cannot make exceptions to this. You can update your address by logging into your eGDC account or by downloading the change of address form from our website.

on the prescription of a dentist. Dental nurses can not carry out tooth whitening, but can take impressions and make bleaching trays to a dentist’s prescription as an additional skill. Any registrant who undertakes work for which they are not sufficiently competent risks fitness to practise proceedings which may affect their registration. It does not matter where the tooth whitening is taking place. For example a dental nurse carrying out tooth whitening in a beauty salon still risks being investigated by the GDC.

Our review of Scope of Practice may change these rules. We will let you know of any updates in a future issue of the Gazette.

Email us with your views and questions to information@gdc-uk.org or write to us at 37 Wimpole Street, London W1G 8DQ.

information@gdc-uk.org | 13

• Investigating Committee learning

Putting the patient’s interests first doesn’t just apply to the treatments you recommend and your clinical care standards.

Good patient care means taking a holistic view of the patient’s experience, from first impressions to aftercare and follow up treatment. By listening to your patients, and taking the time to explain their treatment, you’ll build a strong and lasting relationship.

Consider what sort of information your patients will find useful or helpful and what they might not be telling you. If a patient is unhappy, they may change practice rather than tell you so take the time to listen to your patients and encourage honest feedback. Think about making feedback forms available for those who may prefer to write down their thoughts. Give them a chance to make suggestions to improve the way you work.

Not all patients will feel confident asking questions, so try and put them at their ease by anticipating their concerns before you start work, and explain the treatment simply and clearly. Avoid jargon or technical terms which patients may not be able to understand.

You can also order free GDC publications such as our Smile leaflet, which encourages patients to ask questions if they are confused or worried about something, at www.gdc-uk.org

Putting the patients interests first

Wherever you see a ‘Learning points’ arrow you’ll find info on our Standards, guidance and expectations.

If a caseworker receives a complaint and decides that there are questions about the registrant’s fitness to practise, the matter is referred to the Investigating Committee (IC).

www.gdc-uk.org

The Committee is made up of professionals and lay members who decide whether cases should be closed at that point or referred to a hearing. The IC makes decisions on hundreds of cases, and often sees the same issues time and time again. Here we describe some of those issues and how you can avoid them affecting your patients, colleagues and you.

The IC can:• Close the case and take no further action • Adjourn the case for further information • Issue a letter of advice to the registrant• Issue a warning letter to the registrant

(the IC may direct that details of the warning are entered in the register)

• Refer the case to a Practice Committee and if appropriate, to the Interim Orders Committee

Case file

Front of house standards

In brief: We see a lot of cases where staff have behaved unprofessionally in front of patients.

We have received complaints that registrants have shouted at patients and responded unprofessionally to patients’ questions and complaints. Customer care is not just the responsibility of staff welcoming patients when they first walk in. If a patient is unhappy with their treatment, take the time to try and resolve the issue calmly and politely. While workplaces can be stressful, you should never make disparaging remarks about patients or colleagues in front of other people – even if the subject does not make a complaint, people who overhear your remarks may be offended.

Case file Dental team working

In brief: If a patient changes practice, you should cooperate in passing on treatment records.

Patients have told us that when they have changed dentists, their former dentist has not cooperated in supplying copies of patient records and notes. There are a number of reasons for patients wanting to change practice, so you shouldn’t assume it’s because they are unhappy with your treatment. Do give patients a chance to provide feedback so you can address any issues. Make sure you supply copies of records in good time, as they may affect the treatment they are prescribed.

Case file Scope of practice

In brief: Understand the different roles of your dental team, and work within your scope of practice.

You should only carry out a task or type of treatment or make decisions about a patient’s care if you have the necessary skills. We have heard from patients who’ve received unsatisfactory treatment from staff working outside their scope of practice. We see cases where dentists have allegations made against them for not referring patients for specialist treatments and against DCPs for carrying out work that they are unqualified for. You should also check with your indemnity provider if you are increasing your scope of practice.

If you are uncertain what you are allowed to do or believe you are being asked to work outside your knowledge, skills or experience, refer to the GDC’s Scope of Practice guidance.

If you are a dentist you must pay your ARF by 31 December to keep your name on the register.

Don’t forget to pay your ARF

Dentists’ annual retention fees (ARF) are due on or before 31 December 2011. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to set up a Direct Debit – it’s the smart way to pay

The benefits of paying by Direct Debit include:3 The Direct Debit Guarantee3 Peace of mind3 Convenient3 Safe and reliable

payment processing.

Want to know more?Contact the Registration Team on 020 7344 3740 or email us at registration@gdc-uk.org if you have any questions.

Please note that we are unable to take Direct Debit payments in instalments. Therefore all Direct Debit payments will be deducted as one lump sum.

It’s now even easier to pay by Direct Debit3 Online: Register and

set up online with eGDC: www.eGDC-uk.org

3 By post: Download forms from our website www.gdc-uk.org

3 Multiple Direct Debit: As well as paying your personal ARF, you can set up a Direct Debit for your whole team. That way you’ll know everyone you work with is up to date.

Available now. Make sure you’ve signed up by 15 December to make payment.

Credit/debit card 3 Online: Register and pay

online immediately with eGDC.

Register and pay online immediately with eGDC.

3 By phone: To pay call: Freephone 0800 197 4610 From outside UK +44 207 000 3650

Lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For help call: Freephone: 0800 1777 965 From outside UK: +44 208 829 8991 The helpline is open 9am-5pm.

Cheque3 By post: We will accept cheques

sent to us in good time.

We must receive your payment by 31 December, so please send your payment by Recorded or Special Delivery so you have proof of delivery.

Register and set up your Direct Debit online with eGDC:www.eGDC-uk.org

Pay now