Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Feature
  • Published:

The early intervention of mentors in the Fitness to Practise process

BDJ In Practice volume 36, pages 22–24 (2023)Cite this article

In the first of a mini-series of articles, Mabel Saw and Janine Brooks explore the role of those who support colleagues in difficulty

We all know that despite our best of intentions, sometimes our performance slips and we end up with a patient complaint that could involve a Fitness to Practise (FtP) referral to the General Dental Council (GDC). Such complaints usually involve some kind of error on the registrant's part, perhaps a clinical error and/or an error in judgement or professionalism. This article explores some of the common pitfalls registrants face in the FtP process and how Development Advisers (DAs) and Mentors can act as guides to support and steer registrants in the right direction.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. General Dental Council. Case examiners. Available online at: www.gdc-uk.org/about-us/who-we-are/case-examiners (accessed November 2022).

  2. General Dental Council. Fitness to Practise Statistical Report 2021. Available online at: www.gdc-uk.org/docs/default-source/annual-reports/gdc_ftp-statistical-report-21-22-final-accessible.pdf?sfvrsn=efde9690_3/%20GDC_FtP-Statistical-report-21-22-FINAL-accessible.pdf (accessed November 2022).

  3. General Dental Council. Information for dental professionals who are subject to conditions or have agreed undertakings. Available online at: www.gdc-uk.org/docs/default-source/dental-professionals-with-conditions-or-undertakings-development-adviser-and-process-changes-for-england/information-for-dental-professionals-who-are-subject-to-conditions-or-have-agreed-undertakings.pdf?sfvrsn=13144644_3 (accessed November 2022).

  4. General Dental Council. Personal development plan: template. Available online at: www.gdc-uk.org/docs/default-source/enhanced-cpd-scheme-2018/pdp-examples-final.pdf?sfvrsn=f29d8aa5_4 (accessed November 2022).

  5. General Dental Council. Our organisation. Available online at: www.gdc-uk.org/about-us/our-organisation (accessed November 2022).

  6. Brooks J. How to Survive Dental Performance Difficulties. 1st ed. London: Wiley-Blackwell, 2018.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cambridge, United Kingdom

    Mabel Saw

  2. Northampton, United Kingdom

    Janine Brooks

Authors
  1. Mabel Saw
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Janine Brooks
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mabel Saw.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Saw, M., Brooks, J. The early intervention of mentors in the Fitness to Practise process. BDJ In Pract 36, 22–24 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41404-022-1847-z

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41404-022-1847-z

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links