GDC complaints up 26%: what dentists need to know

The General Dental Council (GDC) published its 2025 fitness to practise statistical report in June 2026, revealing a significant shift in the volume and source of complaints affecting registered dentists and dental care professionals. The GDC received 1,766 concerns in 2025, a 26% rise on the previous year, with referrals from dental professionals climbing to 9% of all cases, up from 8% in 2024.

For practices and individual registrants, this trend signals a tighter scrutiny. A climate of fear around the fitness to practise process has grown within dentistry, something the GDC itself acknowledges in its strategy to 2028. Understanding what is driving the complaints, who is most affected, and how the GDC is responding can help you manage your professional risk and maintain your registration with confidence.

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Quick Summary

1,766 fitness to practise concerns received by the GDC in 2025, a 26% rise on 2024.
Concerns from dental professionals (referrals) rose to 9%, up from 8% the previous year.
Patients and the public still account for 61% of all concerns, though professional-to-professional reporting is rising.
EEA-qualified dentists saw a 36% increase in concerns, the sharpest rise of any registrant group.
Despite higher caseloads, the GDC reduced decision time from 50 to 36 working weeks at case examiner stage.
149 referrals to the Interim Orders Committee in 2025, with 70% resulting in practice restrictions.

Understanding the 26% rise in complaints

The surge in fitness to practise concerns reflects both increased reporting and wider awareness among dental professionals of their obligation to report colleagues. In 2025, the GDC completed 1,293 assessments (almost level with the 1,294 in 2024), meaning the volume of new cases entering the system is now outpacing closure, leading to a 35% rise in open assessment cases to 761 by year end.

Dentists make up 77% of all concerns, with dental care professionals accounting for the remaining 23%. However, the most striking pattern is the rise in concerns from specific registrant groups. EEA-qualified dentists experienced a 36% increase in concerns, while overseas-qualified dentists saw a 32% jump. By contrast, concerns relating to UK-qualified dentists dropped to 57.5% of the total, below 60% for the first time.

Patients and members of the public remain the primary source of concerns, accounting for 61% of cases received, up from 59% in 2023. This reinforces that patient experience and safety remain the core driver of fitness to practise action. Yet the rise in peer-to-peer reporting suggests a profession becoming more alert to standards and more willing to escalate concerns about colleagues.

Why this matters

A higher complaint volume increases the statistical chance that any practice will face a concern, regardless of its actual performance or safety record.
Peer reporting is rising, so professional relationships and team dynamics now carry greater regulatory weight than before.
International graduates are under sharper scrutiny, which may reflect both legitimate safety monitoring and potential regional reporting patterns worth monitoring.

How the GDC is speeding up its process

The GDC faces a critical challenge: handling more cases without the delays that created frustration and distrust in the profession. Despite receiving 26% more concerns in 2025, the GDC reduced the time to reach a final case examiner decision from 50 working weeks to 36, a meaningful improvement for dentists awaiting closure. This acceleration was achieved even as case examiner decisions rose by 9% on 2024.

The GDC also held 110 Practice Committee hearings in 2025, a 50% increase on the 73 held in 2024. These hearings are more formal and public than earlier assessment stages, so the rise reflects both the higher caseload and the GDC's shift toward cases of greater seriousness.

Interim Orders Committee referrals also increased: the GDC referred 149 registrants to the IOC in 2025, more than in any of the last three years. Crucially, 70% of those referrals resulted in an order being placed on the registrant's registration (restricting or suspending their practice), up from 62% in 2024. This suggests the GDC is making swifter and firmer decisions to protect patients when concerns are deemed serious enough to warrant immediate action.

Graph showing GDC fitness to practise concerns rising from 1,401 in 2024 to 1,766 in 2025, a 26 percent increase year on year.

What this means for your professional accountability

Removals from the register remain rare: the GDC struck off 18 dental professionals in 2025, the same number as in 2024, representing 0.01% of all 131,680 registered dental professionals. For the vast majority, a concern does not end a career. However, the increase in interim orders and the speed of decision-making mean that early intervention in cases is now more likely.

The GDC's strategy for 2026 to 2028, titled 'Trusted and effective', explicitly acknowledges that a climate of fear has grown within dentistry and commits to less adversarial ways of handling concerns. This shift matters: it signals intent to move away from purely punitive approaches toward understanding context and proportionality. Yet that change will take time to embed, and in the meantime, the volume of concerns means more registrants will experience scrutiny.

For practices, the rise in peer reporting underscores the importance of clear documentation, team communication, and adherence to standards. Keeping detailed clinical records, maintaining professional boundaries, and addressing performance issues promptly within your team all reduce the risk of a concern escalating. If you are referred, early engagement with the GDC's process and transparent communication often lead to quicker resolution than defensiveness.

The Bottom Line

The 26% rise in fitness to practise concerns is a structural shift, not a one-year blip. Higher volumes, faster decisions, and stronger peer reporting mean the regulatory environment is tighter than it was. For dentists and dental care professionals, this is not a signal to panic, but to maintain careful attention to your practice standards, documentation, and team dynamics.

If you are considering a move to a new role or practice, or if you are navigating a concern yourself, specialist recruitment and regulatory support can help you understand your position. Gorilla Jobs works with dentists and practices across the UK to find the right fit and to manage the regulatory landscape. Get in touch with our team to discuss your next step.

Disclaimer: This blog is a general overview and should not be construed as professional legal, financial or medical advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Why did GDC complaints rise 26% in 2025?

The rise reflects both increased reporting by patients and dental professionals and greater awareness of the duty to report concerns. Peer-to-peer reporting in particular has risen from 8% to 9% of cases. The overall increase also suggests heightened scrutiny of practice standards across the profession, particularly among international graduates.

Q2: Are dentists more likely to be struck off now?

No. The GDC removed 18 registrants in 2025, the same as in 2024, representing 0.01% of all registered professionals. Most concerns do not result in removal. However, interim orders restricting practice are now more common, affecting 70% of Interim Orders Committee referrals in 2025, up from 62% in 2024.

Q3: How long does a GDC fitness to practise case take?

The GDC reduced time to a final case examiner decision from 50 to 36 working weeks in 2025, even while handling 26% more cases. Timescales vary by case complexity, but the overall trend is toward faster closure, reducing the period of uncertainty for registrants.

Q4: Am I at higher risk if I trained overseas?

Concerns relating to EEA-qualified dentists rose 36% in 2025, and overseas-qualified dentists saw a 32% increase, the sharpest rises of any group. This may reflect legitimate safety monitoring, demographic changes, or reporting patterns. Ensuring robust documentation and clear communication with patients and teams helps all registrants reduce risk.

Q5: What should I do if I receive a GDC concern?

Engage early and transparently with the GDC's process. Provide full documentation, respond promptly to requests, and consider specialist support if needed. The GDC's strategy commits to less adversarial handling, and early cooperation often leads to quicker resolution than defensiveness or delay.

Information Sources

This article was researched using authoritative UK sources. Last updated: 2026-08-21.

GDC complaints up 26%: what dentists need to know