The GDC's dilemma

As a result of one complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority that a dentist was using the title 'Dr' in a way that was misleading, the GDC asked its Standards Committee to consider the use of the title 'doctor' by dentists as part of its investigation into the Principles of Ethical Advertising. In doing so the GDC appears to have unwittingly put itself in a dilemma that it has hitherto be unable to resolve, in that included in its recommendations on ethical advertising, the Standards Committee concluded that dentists in the UK should no longer be permitted to use the title 'Dr'.

The GDC needs to issue guidance on ethical advertising but realises that it is in danger of inflicting immense damage on itself, over an issue which is entirely of its own making, if it votes to implement a ban it will be unable to enforce. Consequently it needs to find a way of accepting the recommendations of the Standards Committee on advertising, whilst rejecting its recommendations on use of the title 'Dr'.

In the next posting I will outline serious flaws in the data the Committee relied on in reaching its conclusions such as to make that part of its recommendations invalid.