What to expect when we investigate

We investigate public protection issues or serious concerns about the clinical practice, behaviour or health of dental professionals.

Public protection issues are those where the safety of the public, patients or colleagues could be at risk, or where public confidence in the dental profession could be undermined.

Full investigations can take up to 18 months. We consider if the dental professional is fit to practise dentistry.

Once an issue or concern is raised with us, it becomes our case to investigate. Your involvement will be as an informant or witness to the issues or concerns.

We investigate:

• Serious or repeated mistakes in patient care.
• Failure to respond reasonably to a patient's needs, including not referring for further investigations where necessary.
• Violence, sexually motivated or indecent behaviour.
• Fraud.
• Serious criminal offences or a criminal offence under the Dentists Act (e.g. practising dentistry without being registered, or someone not on the register using the protected title of dentist).
• Discrimination against patients, colleagues or others.
• Serious breaches of patient confidentiality.
• Serious concerns about knowledge of the English language.

After we have investigated, we may:

• Give them a formal warning.
• Restrict the type of work they are allowed to do for up to three years.
• Stop them from practising any dentistry for up to 12 months.
• Remove them from the register which means they can’t practise dentistry in the UK.

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