GDC to be reduced by 50%

Posted by Joanne Mellor

The General Dental Council (GDC) is set to be reduced by 50 per cent from next year, to six dental professionals and six lay persons.

Some 24 individuals currently sit on the panel but this will change in 2013, according to a report by Dentistry.co.uk.

The amendments will come into force next autumn and will also see the chair appointed rather than elected as they are at the moment, while there will be no requirement for them to be a dentist or dental professional.

Changes are being enforced at the GDC following a report by the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence, which claimed the appointment of a chair will lead to a transparent and open recruitment process.

Current chair of the GDC Kevin O’Brien recently stated communication between dentists and patients needs to be improved, which could see amendments made to dental marketing campaigns across the country.