Complaints

PATIENT COMPLAINT

May Lead To

NHS Tribunal

Dental Reference Officer DPB

Local Health Authority

– NO action

– reprimand

– withheld hearings appeal to Secretary of State

– all cases on prior approval

– referral

-Preliminary Proceedings Committee.

– dismiss case

– NO action

– interim suspension order

– referral to

(note 2) (note 3)

Professional Conduct Committee

– dismiss

– postpone

– suspend

– erase

Health Committee

– suspend

– conditional registration

– refer back

Judicial Committee of Privy Council

(Appeal within 28 days)

NOTES:

1. All but trivial convictions involving dentists are reported to the GDC by the police and courts.

2. The Professional Conduct Committee deals with all other cases. It meets in May and November each year. Its most serious decision can be erasure from the Dental Register.

3. The Health Committee was set up by the Dentists’ Act of 1984 for cases where fitness or ability to practice is impaired by physical or mental state. The Committee may then limit registration of a dentist under certain conditions for up to 3 years, or suspend him/her for no more than a year.

Sample examples of serious professional misconduct:

– operator/anaesthetist resulting in injury or death.

– indecent assault.

– fraud.

– inadequate sterilisation resulting in illness or death.

For further information refer to:

GDC Professional Conduct and Fitness to Practice May 1988

Amendments May 1989

November 1990

RESTORATION OF NAME:

– Following suspension or erasure, application can be made not less than 10 months after the verdict or 10 months after the last rejected appeal for restoration.