GDC updates guidance on voluntary removal applications

The General Dental Council (GDC) publish updated guidance for dental professionals under investigation for fitness to practise concerns seeking voluntarily removal from the register.

Updated as part of the GDC’s review of its fitness to practise decision-making guidance and informed by engagement with stakeholders, the guidance is designed to assist the Registrar, or those delegated to make decisions on voluntary removal on the Registrar’s behalf.

Writing on its website, the GDC said:

“The guidance aims to ensure that patient safety, public confidence and professional standards are maintained, improve transparency and consistency in the approach to applications for voluntary removal, and ensure proportionality in decision-making.

While voluntary removal may offer a swift and straightforward way to remove a dental professional from the register amidst fitness to practise concerns, it is not always a permanent solution and may not always align with the public interest.

Applications for voluntary removal are likely to be granted where allegations are at the lower level of seriousness, and the dental professional involved confirms that they want to leave the register permanently. However, in instances of serious public protection concerns, investigations are generally concluded before voluntary removal is granted, unless exceptional circumstances apply.

Dental professionals can apply for restoration to the register 12 months after an application for voluntary removal has been granted. Any outstanding fitness to practise concerns will be assessed as part of any future restoration process.

Stefan Czerniawski, Executive Director, Strategy, at the GDC, said:

““We recognise that our investigations can take a long time, and can have significant negative impacts on the health and wellbeing of participants. We want to reduce these where we can and have added emphasis to this key consideration in the updated guidance.

“We investigate serious concerns about the health, behaviour or clinical practice of dental professionals as a key part of our public protection role, but are working to reduce the impact of our investigations on the health and wellbeing of individuals.”

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