General Dental Council

🎙️ In Conversation with John Makin, Dental Defence Union (The DDU) In our new episode, John Makin shares his wealth of experience in supporting dental professionals, both as a trainer and dento-legal adviser, including reflections on the handling and processing of dental complaints and concerns. John qualified from Manchester Dental School in 1983 and has postgraduate diplomas in law and dental education. A former General Dental Practitioner, John has nearly 30 years ' experience of NHS and private practice in Lancashire and Devon. John retired as Head of the DDU in March but continues to provide advice as a consultant. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eJYkEh6M #DentalLeaders #DentalComplaints #Dentistry #DentalProfessionals #DentalEducation #DentalCareers #DentalRegulation

📣 We're pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Urshla (Oosh) Devalia OBE as our new Registrant Council Member. Oosh will replace Simon Morrow, who is set to conclude his term after eight years. She is expected to take office on 1 October 2026. She will join the Council of 12 members, comprising six lay members and six registered dental professionals, led by our Chair, Dr Helen Phillips FRSB DL. 🔗 Link to the full news story in the comments. Photo: Vicky Matthers Photography

The latest Dental Leadership Network (DLN), which is convened by the GDC, is featured on the cover of Dentistry's July/ August issue. 🎉 The June event focused on the challenges and opportunities of supporting and embedding internationally qualified dental professionals. #DentalLeaders #Dentists #DentalProfessionals #DentalRegulation

GDC will not remove DCPs from register over MyGDC renewal issues We can today confirm that any dental care professional (DCP) who is struggling to renew their registration through MyGDC will not be removed from the register, provided they get in touch with us before the deadline. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eTVgyaJY #DentalProfessionals #DentalRegulation #GDCAnnualRenewal 

“Many internationally qualified dentists arrive in the UK with valuable skills, experience and a strong desire to contribute to patient care, leaving behind family, familiarity and established careers in pursuit of professional development, stability and the hope of a better future. Alongside navigating a new healthcare system, they must adapt to a different culture, language, population, workplace expectations and regulatory environment. While many thrive, these challenges can create circumstances that leave individuals vulnerable. Vulnerability does not create exploitation, but it can create the conditions for it. At the recent Dental Leadership Network (DLN), convened by the General Dental Council, my talk explored how vulnerability can arise not from a lack of competence, but from unfamiliarity, dependence and unequal power dynamics. Through anonymised accounts from internationally qualified dental professionals, I highlighted the emotional, psychological and professional impact of exploitation, compromise and lost opportunities. The talk explored how we as a profession can better recognise, support and protect these colleagues, encouraging open discussion and identifying opportunities for change.” Neda Hussaini Nasab, Restorative Clinical Teacher, King's College London neda hussaini #DentalLeaders #Dentistry #DentalProfessionals

Celebrating Good Practice in Dental Education We welcomed dental education providers and awarding bodies from across the UK to our inaugural Good Practice event in London yesterday. As Manjula Das, our Head of Education & Quality Assurance, said: "As the regulator, we're often focused on risk and challenge, but we're also uniquely placed to see the brilliant work providers are doing, and this doesn't get shared enough." Some of the highlights:  Newcastle University's Heidi Bateman and Rebecca Wassall shared how they're using electronic portfolio systems to triangulate feedback and support students through our Safe Practitioner Framework. The UHI's Lizzie Aucott-Hall and Gillian Ford showed how building professional behaviours into clinical assessment gives students the chance to reflect and reform. The University of Glasgow's Neil Nairn presented on pastoral support and holistic student wellbeing, highlighting that "asking for help doesn't make you weak, it makes you wise." The University of Leeds' Harriet Boyd presented a new programme using real patient voices to help students understand how inclusion barriers shape oral health across generations. Technology and AI in Education: The NEBDN - National Examining Board for Dental Nurses explored maintaining fairness and public confidence in digital-first assessment, while Cardiff Metropolitan University's Chet Geisel showcased his use of AI to build bespoke learning tools for dental technology students, including a dental notation twist on a certain classic video game! Thank you to all our speakers and attendees for such an open and collaborative day.  #DentalEducation #GoodPractice #DentalRegulation   

“As a clinical adviser reviewing Fitness to Practise (FtP) cases, I see how patient complaints arise, escalate, and develop into regulatory matters. Often, there is a missed or failed opportunity to resolve issues locally, or in a prompt and effective way, not having or not following a complaints process.” Read the latest blog post in our series by Dr Shamir Mehta⬇️ https://lnkd.in/eh4fbvGx #Dentistry #DentalProfessionals #DentalRegulation #FitnessToPractise #Complaints

What does it take to truly support internationally qualified dental professionals in the UK?   “At my lightning talk, 'Insights Through Multiple Lenses,' I shared what I've learned, as an internationally qualified dental professional myself, a clinician, a mentor, and a Dentolegal Consultant at Dental Protection. I've seen the challenges this group faces from multiple angles, and they're rarely simple.   There's the international examination process to navigate.   There are barriers to joining and truly integrating into the UK workforce.   And often, a lack of awareness of the systems they're entering, which can leave even highly skilled professionals feeling vulnerable.   Support is crucial and invaluable, yet it remains inconsistent.   Based on my research into the mentoring needs of international dental graduates (IDGs), and my own experience — having started my career in the UK as a dental nurse and a hygienist before qualifying as a dentist — I have seen the immense impact mentoring can have on professionals.    I outlined a strategy for supporting IDGs at three levels: → Individual → Team → System   No one should feel alone navigating a system they didn't train in.   If you're an internationally qualified dental professional, or you support one, I'd love to hear what's made the biggest difference for you.”   Dr. Archana Naik, Dentolegal Consultant at Dental Protection and Trained Mentor #DentalLeaders #Mentoring #Dentistry #DentalProfessionals

The latest Dental Leadership Network looked at what it really takes to support and embed internationally qualified dental professionals, from mentorship to team culture. Honest conversation about what's working, and what still needs to change. 🎥 Watch the highlights from the day #DentalLeaders #Dentists #DentalProfessionals #DentalTeam #Inclusion

Annual renewal on MyGDC We know that some dental care professionals have experienced technical issues while using MyGDC to complete their annual renewal, including issues resetting passwords and duplicate contact records affecting a small number of accounts. We are sorry for the inconvenience this has caused. 🎥 If you're having trouble logging in or receiving your verification code, see our guide (link in the comments) and short video walkthrough: ✉️ If you're still experiencing issues, contact us at cait@gdc-uk.org. Our teams are actively resolving these issues and plan to increase capacity at our call centre to support registrants more quickly. We are following up individually with anyone who has already contacted us about these issues. We thank you for your patience and will provide further updates as these issues are resolved. #GDCAnnualRenewal