A referral to a hearing before the General Dental Council is the most serious moment in a dental professional’s career. Whether you are a dentist, dental nurse, hygienist, therapist or technician, the panel that hears your case has the power to restrict, suspend or end your registration. This guide explains how GDC hearings actually work, what the realistic outcomes are, and how the strongest defences are built — written by a firm founded by a former regulatory chief prosecutor.
How a case reaches a GDC hearing
Concerns referred to the GDC are first assessed and investigated, and then considered by Case Examiners, who decide whether the case should be closed, resolved with advice or a warning, dealt with by agreed undertakings, or referred to a Practice Committee for a hearing. The hearing is therefore not your first chance to change the outcome — it is one of your last. Many of the best results are achieved earlier, through careful written submissions that persuade Case Examiners a hearing isn’t necessary.
The Practice Committees
GDC hearings are heard by one of three committees, depending on the nature of the concerns: the Professional Conduct Committee (misconduct, convictions and cautions — the most common route), the Professional Performance Committee (deficient professional performance), and the Health Committee (where adverse health affects fitness to practise). Panels normally include dental and lay members, supported by a legal adviser. Hearings are administered by the Dental Professionals Hearings Service and are generally public, though health matters are heard in private. Outcomes and upcoming hearing lists are published — which is why “GDC upcoming hearings” is one of the most-searched phrases by anxious registrants and curious colleagues alike.
What happens at the hearing
Like other healthcare regulators, GDC hearings run in stages. First, facts: the GDC presents its evidence and must prove disputed charges on the balance of probabilities; your side can test that evidence and present your own. Second, impairment: if facts are proved, the committee decides whether your fitness to practise is currently impaired — the stage where insight, remediation, CPD and safe practice since the events do the heavy lifting. Third, sanction.
The possible outcomes
Where impairment is found, the committee considers, in ascending order: no further action, a reprimand, conditions of practice, suspension (which it may review before expiry), or erasure from the register. The committee must act proportionately, imposing the least severe outcome that protects the public and maintains confidence in the profession. Erasure normally cannot be revisited for five years, after which an application for restoration may be made.
Recent appellate cases underline that even serious findings do not automatically mean erasure: the courts have repeatedly stressed that committees must genuinely weigh whether misconduct is remediable and whether a lesser sanction suffices. Where a committee gets that balance wrong, an appeal to the High Court — within 28 days of notification — can succeed.
Should I attend my GDC hearing?
Almost always, yes. Committees can proceed in your absence, and untested evidence is more readily accepted. Attending lets the panel assess your insight first-hand — often decisive at the impairment and sanction stages. You are entitled to be represented throughout, and the GDC will certainly be represented; facing an experienced case presenter alone is a serious disadvantage.
Preparing a defence that works
The same elements decide these cases time and again: a coherent evidence bundle built around the specific allegations (not generic paperwork); genuinely reflective insight rather than rehearsed apology; sensible concessions where the evidence is clear, preserving credibility for the issues that matter; testimonials and CPD that speak to the concerns raised; and honest preparation for giving evidence under cross-examination.
Interim orders add urgency: at any stage, the GDC can refer you to an Interim Orders Committee, which can impose conditions or suspension while the case proceeds. Those hearings are often listed at short notice, and the outcome shapes whether you can keep practising — and earning — for the life of the case.
Talk to us before the hearing, not after
Founded by a former chief prosecutor, we prepare dental cases the way the regulator does — then build the defence to meet it. Whether you’ve just received notice of an investigation, a Case Examiner decision, or a hearing date, speak to our GDC defence solicitors for a free, confidential 30-minute call: +44 (0)208 088 5161, lines open 24/7.
Frequently asked questions
Are GDC hearings public? Generally yes, and hearing lists and outcomes are published by the Dental Professionals Hearings Service. Health-related matters are usually heard in private.
What sanctions can a GDC hearing impose? Where impairment is found: a reprimand, conditions of practice, suspension, or erasure from the register. The committee must impose the least severe outcome that adequately protects the public.
Can I appeal a GDC decision? Yes. Appeals against Practice Committee decisions go to the High Court and must be lodged within 28 days of notification of the decision. The deadline is strict, so seek advice immediately.
Can I keep working before my GDC hearing? Usually yes, unless the Interim Orders Committee has imposed conditions or a suspension while your case is ongoing. Strong representation at any interim hearing is critical to protecting your ability to practise.