GDC guidance hub
GDC fitness to practise: guidance and solicitor matching
Guidance for dentists and dental professionals facing a GDC assessment, case-examiner decision or Practice Committee hearing.
Independent commercial matching service · Not a law firm · General information, not legal advice.
What this guidance covers
A stage-specific map for GDC.
Clinical records, consent, communication and professional standards can overlap in a GDC case. A useful defence separates each allegation and connects the evidence to the correct regulatory test.
Use the supporting guides to move from the first notice through evidence, hearings, outcomes and any review. Start with the question raised by the latest letter rather than trying to read the whole process at once.
Common entry points
- Clinical performance or treatment allegations
- Consent and record-keeping concerns
- Dishonesty or probity allegations
- Health or conduct concerns
- Interim Orders Committee or Practice Committee proceedings
Guides for each stage
8 focused guides in procedural order.
Start with the guide matching the latest letter or decision. From there, you can move to the stages immediately before and after it, or return to this overview.
The GDC fitness-to-practise investigation stages
A GDC case can pass through initial assessment, assessment, case examiners and, where required, a Practice Committee. Knowing the current stage prevents a response aimed at the wrong decision-maker.
Read the guide Guide 02How to respond to GDC allegations and submit observations
Observations should answer the disclosed allegations and evidence within the time stated in the notice. Clinical explanation, factual dispute, context and remediation should be organised so each performs a clear purpose.
Read the guide Guide 03GDC case examiners: tests, decisions and outcomes
GDC case examiners consider whether a case should close, conclude with another outcome or proceed to a Practice Committee. Their decision is distinct from a final contested hearing.
Read the guide Guide 04Reviewing a GDC warning or case-examiner decision
Review routes are defined and are not a general second attempt at the same submissions. The decision notice, permitted grounds and applicable deadline should be checked before choosing a route.
Read the guide Guide 05GDC undertakings and conditions: compliance and review
Undertakings may be agreed at one stage while conditions can be imposed by a committee. Either can affect work significantly and must be clear, measurable and realistically capable of compliance.
Read the guide Guide 06GDC Interim Orders Committee hearings
The Interim Orders Committee considers temporary restrictions while the substantive case continues. It does not finally decide the allegations, but the effect of conditions or suspension can be immediate.
Read the guide Guide 07Preparing for a Dental Professionals Hearings Service hearing
A Practice Committee hearing needs a disciplined plan for evidence, witnesses, expert issues and submissions. The relevant committee and allegations determine the exact route.
Read the guide Guide 08GDC sanctions and review hearings
GDC outcomes can range from no action to erasure, depending on the committee and findings. A later review focuses on present impairment, compliance and whether continuing restriction is necessary.
Read the guideHow an introduction works
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A participating firm would assess your information, decide whether it can help and explain its own terms. An introduction alone does not create a retainer or guarantee an outcome.
- 01Choose your regulator and current stage.
- 02Provide only basic contact, stage and deadline information.
- 03Review the named recipient and referral disclosure before sharing.
- 04The independent firm decides whether to offer a consultation or accept the matter.
Primary-source register
Built from current regulator material.
Sources checked 19 September 2026. Check the linked regulator material for later amendments and use the corrections route if a source or summary needs attention.
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