Sir, I think the GDC is right! In my country (Germany) a 'Dr' is someone with a PhD. No exemptions made. Dentists and physicians can obtain a PhD and then they can call themselves a 'Dr'! Otherwise there are just dentists or physicians. Additional academic efforts with years of reading, studying and practical work should have some reflection and reward. I never understood why every dentist or chiropractor calls themselves a 'Dr' here in the UK. It is simply incorrect and yes, misleading to the public and the 'real' doctors.
Funnily enough I have obtained a doctorate or PhD in Germany for which I studied for four years with Public Dissertation and so on but the GDC doesn't accept that as an additional qualification ... never mind.
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Nelz, P. Incorrect and misleading. Br Dent J 209, 424 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2010.985
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2010.985