eGDC
Lord Toby Harris
Lord Toby Harris has spent his career working in the public interest, with a focus on consumer protection, security and policing, and ...
The GDC Council
The Council is the GDC's strategic body. It decides policy, sets strategic direction and approves key organisational changes. The Council works to promote public safety and ensure that the public have confidence in the dental profession.
A large part of the Council's role is to scrutinise the work of the organisation, set a positive tone and culture, seek assurance over the way in which the organisation is run and hold the Executive to account.
Find out about upcoming and past Council meetings
Council Chair
Lord Toby Harris was appointed as Chair of the General Dental Council, following approval by the Privy Council, and took up office on 1 October 2021.
Council members
The Council is made up of 12 members, including its chair, comprising six registrant members and six lay members. One member must live or work wholly or mainly in each of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, to reflect the fact the that GDC is a UK-wide regulator. Its constitution is set out in legislation; the Dentists Act 1984 and in secondary legislation. Council members’ registers of interests can be found on their individual profile pages.
Committees
The Council has a number of statutory and non-statutory committees with various roles and responsibilities.
Standing Orders
Legislation, Rules and Standing Orders set out the role and responsibilities of Council and its committees.
Register of interests, gifts and hospitality
All GDC employees, associates and Council members must declare any professional, personal or business activities or involvement that might constitute a conflict of interest in line with our Managing Interests Policies:
Managing Interests Policy for Council Members and Independent Governance Associates
Managing Interests Policy for Staff
They must also declare any gifts or hospitality that they are offered, regardless of whether or not they are accepted or declined, in line with our Gifts and Hospitality Policies:
Gifts and Hospitality Policy for Council Members and Independent Governance Associates
Gifts and Hospitality Policy for Staff
Declarations of interests, gifts and hospitality for Council members, and for members of the Executive Management Team can be found on their individual profile pages.
Council meetings
Council meetings, both public and closed sessions, are held several times a year, usually at the GDC offices in London or Birmingham.
The Council
The Council is made up of 12 members - six appointed registrants and six appointed lay members.
Council Chair
Lord Toby Harris was appointed as Chair of the General Dental Council, following approval by the Privy Council, and took up office on 1 October 2021.
Council Members
Terry Babbs
Terry Babbs is currently the Vice Chair of the Investment Committee of Oxfam's Enterprise Development Programme, which helps people in ...
Ilona Blue
Ilona is an experienced non-executive director and executive leader with a successful track record in finance, governance and programme delivery ...
Donald Burden
Donald Burden was born in Scotland and completed his undergraduate dental degree at Queen’s University Belfast. Following graduation he worked ...
Anne Heal
Anne Heal is an experienced non-executive director who currently holds positions at the Office of Road and Rail, Elexon and ...
Angie Heilmann
Angie Heilmann is a registered Dental Nurse who has had a long clinical and academic career. Firstly, in Scotland and ...
Jeyanthi John
Jeyanthi John currently works in Dental Public Health across the southeast of England where she works with a range of ...
Sheila Kumar
Sheila is the Chief Executive of the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC), an independent specialist regulator of conveyancing and probate ...
Mike Lewis
Mike is Professor of Oral Medicine, Cardiff University and honorary consultant in Oral Medicine for the Cardiff & Vale University ...
Caroline Logan
Caroline qualified as a dental technician in 1976 from Glasgow Dental Hospital and went on to achieve advanced qualifications in ...
Simon Morrow
Simon qualified with honours from the University of Glasgow in 1996. Simon is a general dental practitioner and until recently ...
Laura Simons
Laura is an experienced non-executive director with a background in consumer affairs. Past Board posts include Breast Cancer Now and ...