MyGDCLeadership and EDI governance
Governance on equality, diversity and inclusion
Council sets our strategic plans for equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).
Our Council and Executive Board members provide leadership by setting and resourcing our strategic priorities, providing oversight and scrutiny of our work and progress, and being accountable for the outcomes achieved.
Our current ambitions for equality, diversity and inclusion are set out in our strategy for dental regulation 2026-2028. Our Council and senior leadership team are provided with quarterly updates on the progress we make against our objectives. Our organisational performance reports are published following Council meetings. We are currently developing our approach to monitoring and evaluating strategic aims and outcomes, and will provide further details when formally adopted.
We are subject to the Public Sector Equality Duty, set out in the Equality Act 2010.
We consult our stakeholders on updated or new policy proposals ahead of implementation. Our consultations invite views on potential impacts, positive or negative, of our proposals on each protected characteristic group. We also complete an equality impact assessment when developing and introducing policy changes. These help us to assess and mitigate any potentially negative effects.
Our statement on equality, diversity and inclusion at the GDC.
Diversity of senior leaders and decision-makers
Our senior leadership team and other decision-makers include:
- Council members (dental professional and lay members).
- Executive and associate directors.
- Members of Council sub-committees.
- Statutory committee associates (panellists).
- Associates (education and registration).
- Case examiners (dental professionals and lay people).
We currently collect and store data on the protected characteristics for most of our senior leadership team and decision-makers. While we don’t currently report on these data, work is underway to extend and improve data capture and reporting.
We are currently focused on ensuring data on the protected characteristics of staff members are consistent with data from registrants and other service users. Our approach ensures data management, analysis and reporting are evidence-based and quality assured.
Improving our EDI data will help us to understand, across a range of protected characteristics, our diversity and representation. Where comparisons are useful and appropriate, our consistent and evidence-based approach, ensures we are well-placed to compare our data with other relevant data sources.
Progress made under previous EDI strategic plans
You will find a summary of the progress delivered by our EDI Strategy 2024-2025 in our Annual Report and Accounts 2025. Further details on the activities completed during the strategic planning period can be found in the associated action plan.
A full report on the work associated with the EDI strategy 2024-2025 was provided to Council at its February 2026 meeting. Delivery of activities designed to progress our strategic aims have been verified by the GDC and independent auditors.
EDI releases and complaints
We often receive Freedom of Information requests for detailed information and data that may be useful to those working on equality, diversity and inclusion issues. We publish releases which are of public interest.
Review our Freedom of Information releases.
We investigate any corporate complaints made to the GDC, including those relating to EDI issues. Responsibility for monitoring and oversight of our corporate complaints sits with our Executive Leadership Team and the Audit and Risk Committee.
You can raise any issues using our online contact us form.