Using Your Dentist
What standard of care should I expect from my dentist?
By The Local Dentist Editorial · Updated 15 July 2026
The GDC's nine standards, in plain English
Every GDC-registered dental professional must follow the GDC's 'Standards for the Dental Team' — nine principles patients can reasonably hold a practice to. In summary: put patients' interests first; communicate effectively so you understand your care; obtain valid consent; maintain and protect your patient information; have a clear, accessible complaints procedure; work well with colleagues in your interests; keep skills and knowledge up to date; raise concerns if patient safety is at risk; and maintain public confidence in the profession. These aren't vague aspirations — they underpin what the GDC investigates if a complaint is escalated, and they translate into concrete things you should see and be given at every stage of treatment, covered below.
What good practice looks like before treatment
Before any treatment begins, you should be given a written treatment plan and itemised costs — not a verbal estimate you have to remember. Where a course of treatment mixes NHS and private options, the plan should make clear which items are which; the same piece of work should never be billed as both. You're also entitled to enough information and time to give valid consent: what's being proposed, the alternatives (including doing nothing), the risks, and the likely cost, explained in a way you actually understand, not just a form to sign. If something is unclear or you feel rushed into a decision, you can ask for more time or a second explanation before agreeing to go ahead.
Your records and your rights
You have a GDPR right to access your own dental records, including X-rays, treatment notes, and correspondence, and a practice should respond to a request within a reasonable time. This matters practically when you switch dentists: your new practice needs a usable record of previous treatment, not a blank slate, so records should transfer in a form that's actually useful to the next clinician. On the professional side, every clinician treating you must work only within their registered GDC scope of practice (see our answer on what hygienists and therapists can do) and must carry professional indemnity cover, so you have recourse if something goes wrong. These aren't optional extras — they're baseline requirements of being registered at all.
If the standard falls short
If a practice doesn't provide a written treatment plan, rushes consent, won't share your records, or has no visible complaints procedure, raise it directly with the practice first — every dental practice is required to have a complaints procedure available on request, so asking for it is a reasonable and normal thing to do. If the practice doesn't resolve things, our answer on how to complain about your dentist sets out the NHS and private complaints routes, including the free Dental Complaints Service for private treatment. Persistent or serious failures against these standards are also what the GDC investigates when a professional's fitness to practise is in question, though the GDC itself cannot award you a refund.
People Also Ask
Am I entitled to a written treatment plan?
Yes. You should be given a written treatment plan and itemised costs before treatment starts, with NHS and private items clearly distinguished — this is a basic GDC standard, not an optional extra.
Can I see my own dental records?
Yes. Accessing your dental records is a GDPR right, and a practice should provide them within a reasonable time. Records should also transfer usefully if you switch to a new dentist.
What if my practice has no complaints procedure?
Every dental practice must have one available on request under GDC standards. Ask for it directly; if the practice still won't help, see our answer on how to complain about your dentist.
Are the GDC's standards legally binding?
They're professional standards every GDC registrant must follow, and underpin GDC investigations and complaints — but they don't themselves give you a legal contract remedy. For consumer rights on private treatment, see our answer on getting a refund. This isn't legal advice.
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This article is general information for UK patients, not clinical advice, and NHS rules and charges change — confirm current rules on nhs.uk or speak to a dentist before acting. For severe facial swelling affecting breathing/swallowing, uncontrolled bleeding, or trauma call 999 / go to A&E; otherwise NHS 111 for urgent dental access. Price figures are indicative benchmarks from our methodology.