The Interim Orders Committee can suspend or impose conditions on a dental professional where there is a need to protect the public, the public interest or the registrant themselves, pending the outcome of a case public hearing by one of the three practice committees.

A case may be referred to the Interim Orders Committee at any stage.

Membership of the Interim Orders Committee is drawn from an independent pool of dental professionals and members of the public who are not members of the GDC.

In addition, each of the practice committees has the power to impose interim suspension or conditions if immediate action is necessary for the protection of the public, pending the final decision on a case.

We have developed a series of guidance documents to support our new fitness to practise system. This guidance sets out principles under which the new Interim Orders Committee (IOC) should operate when dealing with fitness to practice concerns.