Sir, it is amazing that, after all these years, the GDC is still smarting from being persuaded to amend their guidance to allow dentists to use the courtesy title 'Dr' back in 1995.

For the sake of our younger colleagues who may well have been using the title since they qualified it might be helpful to relate the history of this issue. During the 1990s an increasing number of dentists were openly using the title 'Dr' in defiance of the GDC's guidelines set out in their 'Red Book'. By the time the GDC debated this issue in November 1995 (the second time they had looked at the matter that year) so many dentists were openly using the title that the GDC had to accept that it would be impossible to take action against them all and voted to remove the sentence which precluded dentists using the title 'Doctor' in relation to their practices.

The Council's position then was that use of the title 'Dr' would confuse patients and it appears to be unchanged. Rather than confuse patients, I would maintain that use of the title 'Dr' helps patients understand the dentist's role as leader of a team of dental care professionals. With around 50% of dentists graduating being women, their use of the title 'Dr' helps patients distinguish them from the hygienists, therapists and dental nurses who are also involved in their dental care. It also helps patients understand the depth of knowledge and understanding that a dentist has acquired during their years of training.

A whole generation of dentists will have been using the title 'Dr' since they qualified and will be somewhat bemused by the fact that the GDC is still of the view that they should revert to being 'Miss', 'Ms' or 'Mr' so as not to confuse their patients!

I think it highly unlikely that dentists using the title 'Dr' will cease to do so no matter what the GDC might decide at the completion of its consultation. Once the genie is out of the bottle it is difficult to persuade it to return!