GDC Launches Consultation on New Framework for Professionalism

The General Dental Council (GDC) has launched a consultation  on proposals to replace the Standards for the Dental Team with a new Framework for Professionalism, marking a significant step in modernising professional guidance for the dental sector.

The consultation opened on Tuesday 2 June 2026 and invites feedback from dental professionals, patients, representative bodies and other stakeholders on a proposed framework designed to support professional judgement while maintaining patient safety.

According to the GDC, the Framework for Professionalism will play a central role in delivering its strategic objective of supporting dental professionals to provide safe and effective care. The regulator says the new approach has been developed following extensive research, stakeholder engagement and testing involving dental professionals, patients, educators, professional associations and indemnifiers.

The Standards for the Dental Team, often referred to as the "silver book", has been in place since 2013. Feedback gathered during the development process indicated that the existing standards can be perceived as overly prescriptive, potentially limiting clinicians' ability to exercise professional judgement in complex, real-world situations.

Under the proposals, detailed standards would be replaced by four overarching Principles of Professionalism, supported by professional expectations, statutory guidance and practical resources such as case studies, blogs and videos. The GDC believes this approach will provide greater flexibility while offering clearer support for decision-making in practice.

Stefan Czerniawski, Executive Director of Strategy at the GDC, said the regulator wants to promote "learning over fear" while continuing to protect patients.

"We want to regulate in a way that promotes learning over fear and protects patient safety by focusing on what makes things go right," 

"This consultation marks a big step towards making regulation work better for dental professionals and their patients, with a new approach which is simpler, clearer and more accessible. In place of detailed rules, there are four clear principles, which are supported by expectations and guidance designed to help professionals to apply their judgement with confidence."

The GDC has encouraged organisations across the dental sector to share details of the consultation with their members and networks to ensure broad participation. The consultation is available online  in both English and Welsh, with downloadable versions provided for those wishing to respond by email or post.

A series of engagement sessions will also be held during the consultation period to provide further information on the proposals and gather feedback from stakeholders.

Stakeholder engagement has also included representation from the UK Dental Technologists Association (DTA), which has been actively involved in discussions on behalf of dental technologists. The DTA has continued to emphasise the importance of strengthening references to MHRA Medical Device Regulations (MDR) requirements for Custom Made Dental Devices, particularly in relation to their inclusion as supporting materials within the proposed framework.

The consultation will remain open until 31 August 2026, after which responses will be reviewed before any final decisions are made on the future of professional standards guidance within dentistry.

Further information and consultation documents are available via the GDC website .