The GDC is seeking views on its draft guidance for registrants concerning their responsibilities when acting in a business capacity. The guidance, Principles of management responsibility, will apply to any registrant who has a management role, whether that is in a dental body corporate, a primary care trust, a dental practice, a dental laboratory or elsewhere.

Since the opening of the new Dental Care Professional Register (DCP) in July 2006, GDC-registered dental care professionals have been able to “carry on the business of dentistry”, which means that they are legally able to own their own practices, go into partnerships with each other or dentists, and employ other members of the dental team.

In July 2006 there were also changes to the Dentists Act which removed the limit on the number of dental bodies corporate which can exist. This means that any dental practice or group of practices can now become a corporate body.

The consultation document is available on this website. The closing date for responses is 14 September 2007.

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For media enquiries, please contact Rachel Lea on 020 7009 2782.

Notes to editors:

1. The consultation document ‘Guidance on principles of management responsibility’ can be downloaded from the GDC website. For a hard copy of the consultation document, or more information on the consultation, please email cgulliver@gdc-uk.org or telephone 020 7009 2709.

2. Further information about dental bodies corporate is available on this website.