GDC Strategic Priorities

The General Dental Council (GDC) recently hosted roundtable discussions with key stakeholder representatives on the future landscape of dentistry. Professor Donos attended the online meeting, on behalf of BSP, in which they revisited the GDC's strategic priorities.  

The strategic priorities, which were published last year, set out their direction over 2020-2022. However, within the first few months of the strategic planning period, the UK and the healthcare system faced the unanticipated challenge of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While much of their strategy remained relevant, the widespread impact of COVID-19 meant that it was essential for the GDC to revisit their strategy in this new context, not least because the priorities of patients, professionals and the sector have markedly shifted.

Over the coming months the GDC will be publishing the findings from research they have commissioned and also publishing a series of blogs examining themes that have emerged from the stakeholder meetings. These include: COVID-19 and access to dental care, COVID-19 and its disproportionate impacts on the public and professionals, uncertainty and COVID-19 and responding to COVID-19 through innovation. They will be reviewing the meeting feedback together with their research evidence as they consider any need for changing their strategic plans towards the end of the year. 

In the meantime, the GDC have produced a summary of their recent meetings which you can view here.