Article
Guest Editorial – 50 lashes by the GDC
The guest editorial in the first Dental Update of 2020 by Conor O'Malley recounting his experience is an appalling example of the actions of the DCS and GDC.
I've read the article three times with increasing incredulity at every reading. We have, as a profession, ‘allowed’ the authorities to take over the GDC from the profession from the time when we could elect peers to sit in judgement on us. The patients are not being served as well as when dentists were much more involved in the procedures of the GDC; one wonders what the point of the DCS is when it puts cases like this straight to the GDC with no attempt at resolution, which I understood was to be their prime objective. As Dr O'Malley correctly points out, the patient could have had all her fees refunded at the very beginning of her ‘complaint’ if she so wished and, consequently, lost that option by the actions of the DCS and GDC.
This case should never have got past the DCS seeing as the patient was wrong and that the dentist was not at fault. I find it unbelievable that they did not ask Dr O'Malley for his comments at any stage and this just adds to the presumption that the dentist is immediately considered to be guilty. It is noted that the clinical assessment found all Dr O'Malley's work to be satisfactory.
One can only feel great sadness for Dr O'Malley having gone through all of this and can appreciate the enormous strain it places on him, his colleagues and his family.
I feel very great sadness for the young dentists who ‘look forward’ to a career under this awful regimen and sorrow for patients, the majority of whom will not be getting the necessary appropriate treatment as dentists practice increasingly defensively and/or leave the profession.
Dr O'Malley is to be applauded for being so open about his treatment and bringing it to the attention of all his dental colleagues, for ALL of us could very easily have been in exactly the same position as he was placed.