The Patient-dentist Relationship and the Future of Dentistry

The patient-dentist relationship is a delicate partnership that forms the core of dentistry. The attack on this partnership by the General Dental Council has led to gross miscarriages of justice and the emergence of defensive dentistry. This essay considers the role of a governing body, the misconduct of the GDC and the response of the profession to the injustices perpetrated. The system of NHS general dental practice is considered in terms of quality and humanity and found to be failing in quality and lacking in humanity. The paper concludes that the General Dental Council must go and that NHS general dental practice needs to be terminated. The GDC is apparently not accountable to anyone but the practice of dentistry is accountable to the dentists. The profession will need to be courageous and take action to bring about radical change. A new governing body consisting of young dentists and older more experienced dentists will establish a proper system of professional standards and care for patients. A new, dentist-controlled private system of subsidised general dental practice will be introduced using government financial support for dentistry. The patient-dentist partnership will thus be able to move into a new era of quality and humanity.