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Ensure the public are able to engage effectively with our services

The GDC exists to protect the public and uphold public confidence in dentistry. To achieve this, we need to consider diversity in everything that we do. We recognise that we need to use a variety of methods to interact with the public in a person-centred way, to meet different communication needs and prevent barriers to effective regulation. 
 
We interact with the public daily in our work, such as through our Customer Advice and Information Team, the Dental Complaints Service, via our website, or through our Fitness to Practise casework. As a regulatory body responsible for public protection, it is imperative the public and patients and professionals are able to effectively engage with us.  

 

Meeting the objective

Below are some of the activities that we have committed to undertaking to achieve this objective. 

  • Encouraging, capturing, and understanding the demographics of those groups that engage with us by gathering EDI data at relevant points.
  • Continuing to review our communications to ensure these are accessible and use plain English.
  • Continuing our work to understand the diversity of patients and dental service users to the best of our ability.
  • Ensuring our website is accessible to all members of the public.

Monitoring progress

We will monitor progress against the objective using the following standards and indicators: 

  • The amount and quality of EDI monitoring data we hold about those who engage with us improves year on year.
  • Research involving the public and/or patients.
  • Our website is considered a model example amongst health and care regulators.
  • We have a suite of material available to the public around our EDI commitments and actions. 
  • Quantity of corporate complaints and the quality of our responses. 

      Developments against this objective

      In achieving this objective, we have undertaken the following activities: 

      • Easy read documents have been produced for raising a complaint about the GDC, raising a serious concern about a dental professional, and reporting illegal practice. These are now published on our website. 
      • We have successfully completed an accessibility audit of our website. Our compliance check was done by the Shaw Trust.