Last few weeks to have your say: Consultation on guidance for decision makers at the Initial Assessm

The General Dental Council (GDC) is inviting dental professionals and stakeholders to have their say on proposed new guidance for decision-makers within the fitness to practise (FtP) process. With the consultation closing on 2 November 2026, there is still time to share your views and help shape guidance aimed at supporting fair, consistent and transparent decision-making.

Start date

10 August 2026

End date

2 November 2026

Summary

We are consulting on proposed new guidance for decision makers at the Initial Assessment and Assessment stages of the fitness to practise process, providing dedicated guidance for these stages for the first time.

At Initial Assessment, we consider whether the information received raises a fitness to practise concern. Where it does, the case moves to the Assessment stage, where further information is gathered to determine whether there is an allegation of impaired fitness to practise. Where there is, the case is referred to the case examiners.

Given the close relationship between these two stages, we are consulting on both guidance documents together. For the first time, they bring the factors supporting decision-making at these stages together in dedicated published guidance.

The new guidance aims to:

• ensure the guidance used by decision makers is up to date and effective
• support fair, consistent and proportionate decision-making
• provide greater clarity and transparency about how decisions are made
• make the process easier to understand by limiting technical terminology wherever possible.

Areas of particular focus include guidance on:

• health concerns
• sexual misconduct
• discrimination, harassment and victimisation
• offensive behaviour and freedom of expression.

The proposed guidance forms part of our work to deliver our 2026-2028 strategy, including our aim to improve fitness to practise, maximise patient safety and reduce unintended impacts.

Ways to respond

Please complete our online consultation form below. You can save your responses and return to them before submitting the survey by 23:59 on 2 November 2026.

Respond to the consultation online 

You can also respond by emailing the stakeholder team. Please include the name of the consultation in the subject line and refer to the relevant question numbers in your response.

Response to your views

We will carefully consider all views received during the consultation and publish a consultation outcome report explaining our consideration of the responses.

Contact us

If you have any questions about this consultation:

Email the stakeholder team or call on 020 7167 6330.

 To access consultation documents and read more on the outcomes Click Here