GDC launches consultation on updated fitness to practise guidance

The General Dental Council (GDC) has opened a 12‑week public consultation on proposed updates to its fitness to practise (FtP) guidance, aiming to deliver fairer, clearer and more proportionate decision‑making across the regulatory process. The consultation, launched on 26 March 2026, forms part of the regulator’s wider programme to reduce fear and complexity around FtP investigations, which many dental professionals have long described as lengthy, opaque and stressful.

The proposed revisions focus on modernising the guidance used by case examiners and updating the undertakings bank to ensure decisions are consistent and transparent. The GDC says the changes are intended to improve clarity, remove unnecessary technical language and align the case examiner stage more closely with the approach already taken by practice committees.

Case examiners, who work in professional–lay pairs, play a pivotal role in determining whether allegations of impaired fitness to practise should proceed to a hearing. The updated guidance is expected to directly affect registrants involved in FtP proceedings, as well as their legal representatives and those who raise concerns.

Key proposals include strengthened guidance on allegations involving sexual misconduct, discrimination and harassment, reflecting the seriousness of these issues; standardising the publication period for warnings to 12 months; and revising the undertakings bank to better reflect its purpose within the process. The GDC emphasises that the guidance must be clear, up to date and supportive of consistent decision‑making at every stage.

Chief Executive and Registrar Tom Whiting said the consultation is an opportunity for the sector to scrutinise the proposed changes and contribute to improving fairness and transparency. He highlighted the regulator’s broader efforts to streamline FtP, including a faster approach to single‑patient clinical concerns, enhanced support for registrants and witnesses, and specialist mental‑health training for staff to better identify and support individuals in distress.

The consultation is open until 23:59 on 18 June 2026, and the GDC is encouraging all those with experience or interest in the FtP process to review the proposals and submit their views through its online form.

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