Sir, the editorial by Hew Mathewson, the GDC President (BDJ 2007: 202: 297) contains the suggestion that he would prefer to have a General Dental Council that did not have another dentist as a member. He seems to believe that his opinion about a fellow dentist's professional behaviour and/or work should be tantamount to sacrosanct.

He has chosen to ignore the fact that it is the dental profession who finance the GDC to the sum of £420 per annum. Dentists both deserve and need effective and balanced representation. This is good for us and our patients. I have recently protested to the council that a pensioner choosing to work a few hours per week in order to keep their longstanding patients cared for should not have to pay the same charges as full time dentists. In contrast the General Medical Council actually allows doctors over the age of 65 to be exempt from all charges. A similar argument could be made for other dentists with very good reasons to practise far less than full time.

So far we have had no joy. There does not appear to be enough practising dentists on the council to enable a real and useful understanding of the difficulties our dental colleagues face every working day. If more dentists could work post retirement or maintain a career while juggling the demands of family say, then we would all be better off. Surely the GDC should want this.