eGDCReport a public protection issue or concern about a dentist or dental professional
If you have been harmed by a dental professional or you think they might be posing a risk to you or others, you should report it to us. We refer to these as public protection issues or concerns.
Our role as a regulator is to protect the public.
We investigate serious concerns about the clinical practice, behaviour or health of dental professionals. These are issues that may be putting patients at risk of harm, or undermining public confidence in the professions we regulate.
This page is aimed at patients and the public, if you are employed in a dental practice or a registered professional, see our advice on raising a concern if you work in dentistry.
We cannot resolve individual complaints or help with refunds.
Find out how to make a complaint or get a refund.
When to report to us
If you believe that a dental professional may be putting the public or patients at risk, report it to us. We deal with the most serious issues and concerns about dental professionals.
We look into serious concerns about clinical practice, health or behaviour (while at work or in their own time) of a dental professional that suggest they could be:
- causing significant harm to patients or the public
- causing significant harm to colleagues
- undermining public confidence in the dental profession.
Some examples of what we investigate include:
- serious or repeated mistakes in patient care or clinical treatment, including breaking patient confidentiality
- not responding to a patient’s needs, including not referring for further investigation when needed
- violence, sexual assault, misconduct, and discrimination (including when done online)
- criminal offences, including potential fraud or theft.
Report a public protection issue or concern
Report illegal practice to us
If you suspect that someone is practising dentistry but is not a dentist or other type of dental professional, you should report it to us. The practice of dentistry includes tooth whitening.
If someone is using a protected dentistry title e.g. dentist, dental nurse, dental hygienist, but is not registered with us, you should report it.
When to contact another regulator
Some issues are the responsibility of other regulators.
If you are worried about how a dental practice is being run, including the cleanliness of the practice, contact the health and care services regulator where you live:
- England: Care Quality Commission
- Scotland: Healthcare Improvement Scotland or the local health board where you live if it is an NHS service.
- Wales: Healthcare Inspectorate Wales
- Northern Ireland: Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority.
If your concerns are about a health and safety issue at the dental practice, contact Trading Standards or the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
If you’ve had a bad reaction to a medicine or you’re experiencing serious issues with a medical device, including custom-made dental appliances such as a denture or dental bridge, contact the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
If you have seen an advert that you think is misleading or offensive contact the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).