History of the issue

The decision by the GDC in November 1995 to allow dentists to use the courtesy title 'Doctor' was the culmination of a well organised campaign run by Dr. Douglas Pike, himself a member of the GDC at the time. Dentists who wished to do so were encouraged to use the title 'Dr.' in relation to their practices and increasing numbers were doing so - even though at that time the GDC regarded the use of the courtesy title 'Doctor' by dentists a matter of serious professional misconduct.

When the issue was debated by the GDC in May 1995 it was defeated by the narrowest of margings. The GDC was fully aware of the rising open useage of the title 'Doctor' within the profession and had to either remove the prohibition or act against those dentists flouting its guidelines.

The matter was once again debated by the GDC in November 1995, by which time a large number - I believe it was in the region of 3000 dentists had written to the GDC stating that they were using the title 'Doctor' in their practices. Indeed this was pointed out by the then President of the Council Margaret Seward before the vote, when she said that if the Council did not vote to remove the prohibition it would be placed in the embarassing position of being out of step with a groundswell of opinion within the profession and that it would be practically and financially impossible to act against dentists openly using the title.

The notification sent to all dentists by the then Registrar of the GDC following the vote removing the ban on use of the title 'Doctor'