Dentists/Dental Professionals

We provided legal representation for a variety of dental professionals, from student dentists to dentists who own large practices; both NHS and in the private sector.

The General Dental Council investigates a variety of fitness to practise complaints against dentists from concerns raised by patients, employers, the police and other professionals. Complaints can also come from the Dental Complaints Service, which is funded by the GDC and receives initial complaints about private dental care.

Complaints of dentist misconduct can be varied, but may include issues such as:

The GDC has three separate fitness to practice committees that deal with dentist’s fitness to practice cases based on the nature of the allegation against them:

We represent dentists through all stages of a GDC fitness to practise investigation; from initial referral to preparing written representations to the Investigating Committee, to representing dentists before the Interim Orders Committee, the Professional Conduct Committee and the Professional Performance Committee.

We work with dentists to establish a clear strategy for their case from the outset. We prepare robust defences to disputed allegations and, where necessary, we present convincing mitigation. We always have the clear objective of obtaining the best possible outcome for dentists.

We also work alongside our criminal defence team if a dentist is accused of criminal offences, to ensure that a multidisciplinary approach is taken to provide the best defence team.

We defend dentists on a nationwide basis, who are not members of a defence organisation, or who have been refused representation by their union. Unions may refuse cover if an allegation relates to a dentist’s private life, or if issues of dishonesty are alleged. Our dentist lawyers also have experience of representing dentists who, for various reasons, have been practising without indemnity cover.

We are completely independent of any defence organisation and therefore we provide dentists with a personal and discrete service, maintaining complete confidentiality.

Our defence lawyers have expertise in representing dentists, dental professionals and dental students with GDC fitness to practise investigations and with a variety of other regulatory problems such as: