Sir, Dr Ross Hobson in his article A view of European challenges in dental education (BDJ 2009; 206: 65–66) gives an excellent overview of the current position and concerns over dental education in Europe. He also rightly identifies concern that the GDC is failing to lead on UK dental education. The role of the Association of Dental Education in Europe (ADEE) and the Council of European Dentists (CED) is crucial in the 'aim to harmonise the activity of dental schools and to achieve the EU standards of a graduate to be registered within the EU as a dentist'. His article explains how from the mid-1990s ADEE initiated the Dent Ed projects which aimed to use peer review to raise standards. ADEE is an excellent forum for the dental educators to consider and promote policy with the admirable aim to 'promote the advancement of dental education in Europe'.

However, Dr Hobson omits reference to a vital cog in the developmental wheel of EU harmonisation. This vehicle was the Advisory Committee on the Training of Dental Practitioners (ACTDP). Set up in 1978 by directive 78/688/EEC, it consisting of representatives from profession, university and competent authority. The first two categories were easily appointed by each national country, the last was a little more problematic and was interpreted differently in the EU countries – for the UK the GDC is the competent authority and similar regulating bodies existed in other countries. Some did not and a mix of government officials and chief dental officers fulfilled this role. The GDC were strong supporters of the ACTDP with diligent representation by an appointee from the Education Committee (in my time Professor Robin Basker OBE fulfilled this role). The UK representatives liaised closely with the Department of Health which helped to coordinate policy across the UK health professions and through them EU commission policy in Europe.

The ACTDP successfully worked on the creation of the sectoral directives for dentistry (78/687/EEC and 78/688/EEC). Implementation of the directives included transitional arrangements as countries entered the EU with very varied existing dental education systems in place. This allowed freedom of movement of dentists throughout Europe. However, in order to achieve convergence in standards of dental education in the EU and place greater emphasis on outcome and comparable competences in primary dental care, ACTDP devised a set of clinical competences (XV/8316/8/93 modified 10/11/98 XV/E/8011/3/97-EN et al.) These were included as an annexe to the 1978 Dental Directive. The work remains a blueprint which subsequently ADEE has further developed.

Regrettably the EU Commission abolished ACTDP in 2000 thereby losing advice that had enhanced the quality and harmonisation of dental education. Fortunately ADEE and CED have filled the void and BDA representation remains strong. But the loss of the former unique tri-partite forum for discussion and implementation has left a more fragmented and less coordinated present. And Dr Hobson's question has to be repeated, why are the GDC not providing a lead in UK (and EU) dental education?