Received a GDC Complaint? Exactly What to Do in the First 48 Hours

The GDC calls these “concerns”; this guide uses “complaint”because that is what most registrants search for.

Receiving a letter from the General Dental Council informing you that a complaint has been made against your registration is one of the most stressful moments in a dental career. The instinct is to panic, to replay every patient interaction in your mind, and to assume the worst. But the reality is that most GDC complaints do not result in fitness to practise hearings, and what you do in the first 48 hours after receiving notification can significantly influence the outcome.

This guide sets out exactly what to do — and what not to do — when a GDC complaint lands on your desk. It covers immediate actions, which complaint route applies, how to work with your indemnity provider and how to prepare your response, with a short outline of the GDC process and the role your clinical records play. If you take one thing from this article, let it be this: your documentation is the single most important factor in your defence.

Step one: do not panic

The first thing to understand is that a GDC complaint does not mean you will lose your registration. Most concerns are resolved without progressing to a full fitness to practise hearing. The GDC says that in straightforward single-patient clinical cases it typically closes around 80% at the assessment stage with no further action (GDC, How we investigate public protection issues or concerns).

A complaint can be raised by anyone — a patient, a patient's family member, another dental professional, or even a member of the public. The fact that a complaint has been made says nothing about its merit. The GDC assesses every concern it receives, but it only opens a case where the concern could affect patient safety or public confidence in dentistry; it does not open a case for issues that do not need further investigation. Many complaints arise from misunderstandings, unmet expectations, or interpersonal disagreements rather than genuine clinical failings.

That said, you must take every complaint seriously. Even complaints that appear unfounded require a formal response, and a dismissive attitude can itself become a concern if the GDC perceives a lack of insight or engagement with the process.

First, which kind of complaint is it?

Many complaints a dental professional receives are practice-level complaints, not GDC concerns. Each route has its own rules, so check which one you are dealing with before you respond.

Sources: NHS Complaints (England) Regulations 2009 (regulations 7, 12 and 13) and the GDC’s how to make a complaint page (checked 1 October 2026).

Immediate actions: the first 48 hours

The first 48 hours after receiving a GDC complaint letter are critical. Here is a step-by-step checklist of what you need to do immediately.

1. Read the complaint letter carefully

Read the entire letter from the GDC, including any enclosures. Understand exactly what is being alleged, which patient is involved, and what timeframe the complaint covers. Note the GDC reference number and any deadlines for response. Do not skim — read every word. The specific allegations will determine your entire response strategy.

2. Contact your indemnity provider immediately

This is the single most important action. Contact your dental indemnity provider — DDU, MDDUS, Dental Protection, or whichever organisation you are a member of — on the same day you receive the letter. Do not wait until you have reviewed the records, gathered your thoughts, or spoken to colleagues. Your indemnity provider has dedicated dento-legal advisers who handle GDC complaints daily. They will guide every subsequent step.

When you call, have the complaint letter in front of you and the GDC reference number ready. Your indemnity provider will open a case file and assign an adviser. Follow their instructions precisely from this point forward.

3. Secure the clinical records — do not alter anything

Locate the complete clinical records for the patient named in the complaint. This includes digital notes in your practice management system, paper records if any exist, radiographs, photographs, laboratory prescriptions, referral letters, consent forms, and any correspondence with the patient.

Do not alter, amend, add to, or delete any part of the clinical record. This is the most critical rule. Digital systems maintain audit trails that record every modification with timestamps and user IDs. If you change a record after receiving a complaint, this will be discoverable, and it will be treated as dishonesty — which the GDC regards as more serious than almost any clinical error. Retrospective alteration of records has led to erasure from the register in cases where the original clinical concern might have resulted in a lesser sanction.

4. Make a secure copy of all records

Create a complete copy of the patient's records and store it securely. Print digital records, export them to PDF, or screenshot relevant screens. This ensures you have a reference copy that cannot be accidentally modified. Your indemnity provider will need these records to advise you, and having a clean copy ready accelerates the process.

5. Do not discuss the complaint with colleagues

While it is natural to want to discuss a complaint with trusted colleagues, resist this urge in the first instance. Conversations with colleagues are not privileged — they can be called as witnesses. Discuss the complaint only with your indemnity provider and any legal representative they instruct. If you need emotional support, your indemnity provider can direct you to confidential support services designed for dentists facing regulatory proceedings.

6. Do not contact the complainant

Do not contact the patient or their representative directly. Any contact could be perceived as an attempt to influence the complaint. All communication should go through formal channels. If the patient contacts you, be polite but brief, and refer them to the GDC process. Document any unsolicited contact and inform your indemnity provider.

7. Write a timeline of events while they are fresh

While your memory is still relatively fresh, write a private chronological account of the relevant appointments and interactions. Include dates, what you recall discussing with the patient, clinical decisions and their rationale, and anything else that might be relevant. Write it only if your indemnity provider asks you to, and send it only to them. Do not rely on a heading such as "prepared for legal purposes" to make it privileged: a label does not create legal privilege. This is not an addition to the clinical record — it is a personal aide-memoire for your defence.

The GDC process in brief

The GDC’s published targets are an initial decision in 90% of cases within 5 working days, and a case examiner decision in 75% of cases within 18-20 weeks of the assessment decision. Case examiners can decide on no further action, advice, a warning, undertakings, or referral to a Practice Committee hearing. Targets are from the GDC’s How we investigate public protection issues or concerns (checked 1 October 2026); they are targets, not guarantees. For each stage, sanctions and appeals, see our guide to GDC fitness to practise proceedings.

Your records are the central evidence

The GDC will ask for the relevant clinical records, and case examiners and usually an independent expert judge them against the standard of a reasonably competent dental professional. A useful habit (not a legal rule) sums this up: if it is not documented, it is hard to show it happened. For what case examiners and experts check, see how your records are examined in FtP proceedings; for what the GDC expects in a record, see our GDC dental records requirements guide.

Preparing your response to the GDC

Your formal response to the GDC complaint is your opportunity to present your side of events. This is where the quality of your clinical records either supports or undermines your position. Your indemnity provider's dento-legal adviser will help you draft this response, but understanding the principles will help you prepare.

Let your records speak

If your records are comprehensive, contemporaneous, and complete, they will largely speak for themselves. A detailed clinical record showing that medical history was reviewed, findings were thorough, risks were discussed, consent was obtained, treatment was delivered competently, and appropriate follow-up was arranged is powerful evidence. The response can then focus on pointing the expert and case examiners to the relevant entries.

Address gaps honestly

If your records have deficiencies — and many do — your response should acknowledge them honestly rather than attempting to explain them away. Demonstrating insight is one of the strongest mitigating factors in GDC proceedings. A response that states "I recognise my consent documentation could have been more detailed on this occasion, and I have since adopted structured templates to ensure consistency" is far more effective than one that claims the records are adequate when they clearly are not.

Show remediation

If the complaint highlights genuine areas for improvement, demonstrate what you have done to address them. This might include: adopting structured documentation templates, attending relevant CPD courses, implementing a consent protocol, or establishing a regular record-keeping audit. The GDC is more likely to resolve a complaint with no further action or undertakings when the registrant shows genuine insight and proactive improvement.

The documentation that saves you vs the documentation that condemns you

In GDC complaint outcomes, the difference between a favourable and adverse finding often comes down to what is — or is not — in the clinical record. Here is what separates defensible documentation from documentation that leaves you exposed.

Documentation that protects your registration

Documentation that leaves you vulnerable

The difference is stark, and it applies to every clinical encounter, not just the one that generates a complaint. A complaint about one appointment may lead the GDC to review your records across multiple patients and multiple dates. A pattern of poor documentation is significantly more serious than an isolated lapse. For detailed examples of what compliant consent documentation looks like, see our guide on dental consent documentation.

Prevention: structured documentation as ongoing protection

The best time to prepare for a GDC complaint is before one arrives. The dentists who navigate complaints most successfully are those who have established consistent documentation habits that produce defensible records as a matter of routine — not as a special effort when something goes wrong.

Use structured templates for every appointment

Structured templates prompt for the elements a case examiner would look for. A template for an extraction prompts for consent, alternatives, specific risks, anaesthetic details, technique, complications, and post-operative instructions. When these fields are built into your workflow, completeness is prompted rather than left to memory under time pressure. Nosht's treatment-specific templates are structured around GDC and FGDP(UK) requirements for this exact purpose.

Run a documentation completeness check

Check each note for missing consent, risks, alternatives and post-operative instructions before you finalise it. Nosht’s Bulletproof Mode does this as you write; see how Nosht helps you write defensible records.

Provide patient information as standard

One of the strongest pieces of evidence you can have in a GDC complaint is documentation that you provided the patient with written information about their treatment. Nosht includes 68 patient information leaflets, free to read online. On a paid plan you can send one to a patient from your note. Sending uses the patient’s email address or phone number for that message only. Sending a leaflet and noting it in the record creates an audit trail that the patient received relevant information, reinforcing your consent and communication documentation.

Audit your records regularly

Run periodic record-keeping audits against the CGDent (formerly FGDP(UK)) Clinical Examination and Record-Keeping guidelines, and re-audit. This is a valuable CPD activity, and an audit trail showing improvement is strong evidence of insight if a complaint is ever raised. For a medico-legal perspective on what should be in every note, see our guide on medico-legal dental notes.

Never skip consent documentation

Consent failures are among the most common findings in GDC cases. Make it a non-negotiable habit to document what was discussed, what risks were explained by name, what alternatives were offered, and how the patient responded — for every procedure, at every appointment. A two-minute habit today can save your registration tomorrow.

Looking after yourself during a GDC complaint

GDC complaints take a serious toll on mental health. The process is lengthy, the uncertainty is corrosive, and the professional isolation can be overwhelming. You are not alone — many dentists have been through this process, and support is available.

The confidential services listed in the support box near the top of this guide, including NHS Practitioner Health, ConfiDental and Samaritans, are there for exactly this situation.

Do not try to manage a GDC complaint alone. The professional support exists for a reason, and using it is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Frequently asked questions