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Fitness to practise panel

Fitness to practise panel members

​Membership of the statutory committees that make decisions on dental professionals' fitness to practise is drawn from an independent pool of dental professionals and lay people called the fitness to practise panel.

Fitness to practise panellists can sit as members of Interim Orders, Professional Conduct, Professional Performance, Health or Registration Appeals Committees for hearings held by the Dental Professionals Hearings Service.

The role fitness to practise panellists play during a hearing

This video explains the part our independently appointed fitness to practise panel members play in hearings, and how this challenging role makes a difference to the public and patients by providing proportionate and fair regulation of dental professionals.

The fitness to practise panel is made up of dentists, dental care professionals (DCPs), and lay people. 


DCP FtP panel member

Katie Byrne

Katie qualified at Birmingham Dental hospital in 1999, she then went on to be a Dental Nurse manger,  she is ...

Dentist FtP panel member

Katie Howlett

Katie Howlett qualified as a dentist from Guy's Dental Hospital in 1992. Her career in dentistry began in the community ...

DCP FtP panel member

Kirsty Payton

Kirsty Payton qualified as a dental hygienist/therapist with a BSc Oral Health Science degree from the University of Manchester in ...

DCP FtP panel member

Laura Bryson

Laura Bryson qualified as a dental hygiene therapist in Glasgow in 2009. She moved to London shortly after completing a ...

DCP FtP panel member

Laura Richardson

Laura Richardson is a dental therapist working in a specialist NHS and private practice in Harrogate. She has worked in ...

Dentist FtP panel member

Lauren-Emma Blake

Lauren-Emma studied dentistry at King’s College London, graduating with honours in 2019. After qualifying as a dentist, she moved to ...

Lay FtP panel member

Liz Avital

Liz Avital is an independent healthcare development consultant, who has spent the last 20 years in UK / global health ...

Dentist FtP panel member

Louise Davidson

Louise Davidson graduated with a BDS from the University of Manchester (Manchester Turner Dental School) in 1995. After completing vocational ...

DCP FtP panel member

Louise Fletcher

Louise Fletcher has been employed in general practice since 2000. She registered with the General Dental Council in 2008. Louise has ...