The General Dental Council (GDC) is the UK-wide statutory regulator of around 112,500 registrants, including over 42,000 dentists and 70,000 dental care professionals.  The GDC’s primary purpose is to protect patient safety and maintain public confidence in dental services. To achieve this, it registers qualified professionals, sets and enforces standards of dental practice, investigates fitness to practise complaints, and ensures the quality of dental education.

The environment the GDC operates within is complex. The level of NHS funding for dentistry, and the different health systems across the UK are becoming increasingly divergent. In addition, we know that the decision for the UK to exit the EU will have significant implications for the NHS workforce, for regulation broadly and for the regulation of the dental team specifically. We also know that more people interact with dentistry than any other part of the healthcare system. In 2017/18 NHS dental services in England were accessed by 51% of the adult population (that’s 22 million people) and 59% of children (that’s 6.9 million children).

The Council is looking for three new members to help guide the GDC through this period of challenge and change. We are looking for strategically minded professionals with a demonstrable commitment to supporting confidence in public services, the capacity to understand the organisational and business issues facing the GDC, and experience of providing objective and practical advice to an organisation. Ideally, candidates will have worked at board level, but they certainly will understand how to add value at a senior level. The GDC requires that one of the Council members is an individual who mainly lives or works in Wales; and one in Northern Ireland. These individuals can be either lay or registrant applicants.

Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to the General Dental Council on these appointments. For further information about the role, including more information on criteria for candidates and details about how to apply, please visit www.saxbam.com/appointments using reference AZNF. Alternatively, telephone +44 (0)20 7227 0880 (during office hours). Applications should be received by noon on Friday 21 February 2020.

The GDC is committed to promoting equality of opportunity and values diversity of culture among our Council members.  We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals.  We will seek to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly, with respect and without bias.