ORE Part 2 Dental Law & Ethics (GDC) 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which regulatory body is responsible for registering and regulating dental professionals in the UK?
- General Dental Council (GDC) (Correct answer)
- British Dental Association (BDA)
- Care Quality Commission (CQC)
- NHS England
Correct answer: General Dental Council (GDC)
The General Dental Council (GDC) is the statutory regulatory body for all dental professionals in the UK, responsible for registration, setting standards, and fitness to practise procedures.
Question 2: What are the GDC's mandatory CPD topics for dentists in the current cycle?
- Medical emergencies, disinfection and decontamination, radiography and radiation protection (Correct answer)
- Composite restorations, implantology, sedation
- Orthodontics, periodontics, endodontics
- Communication, leadership, business management
Correct answer: Medical emergencies, disinfection and decontamination, radiography and radiation protection
The GDC mandates CPD in medical emergencies, disinfection and decontamination, and radiography and radiation protection for all dental professionals in every 5-year CPD cycle.
Question 3: What is the purpose of a 'Significant Event Analysis (SEA)' in a dental practice?
- Structured review of an adverse event to identify learning points and prevent recurrence (Correct answer)
- Documenting all significant treatments
- Annual practice audit
- Reporting to the GDC directly
Correct answer: Structured review of an adverse event to identify learning points and prevent recurrence
SEA is a quality improvement tool used to reflect on adverse events (significant events) in a structured way, identifying what happened, why, and what changes can prevent recurrence.
Question 4: Under CQC regulations, what are the five key questions inspectors ask about a dental service?
- Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive, Well-led (Correct answer)
- Clean, Staffed, Compliant, Audited, Insured
- Registered, Qualified, Equipped, Monitored, Reported
- Clinical, Administrative, Financial, Ethical, Legal
Correct answer: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive, Well-led
The CQC uses five key lines of enquiry (KLOE): Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive to people's needs, and Well-led, to inspect and rate dental services in England.
Question 5: What is the difference between 'assault' and 'battery' in the context of dental treatment without consent?
- Battery is unauthorised physical contact (treatment without consent); assault is the threat of such contact (Correct answer)
- They are identical in dental practice
- Battery is verbal; assault is physical
- Only assault applies to dental practice
Correct answer: Battery is unauthorised physical contact (treatment without consent); assault is the threat of such contact
In UK law, battery is unlawful physical contact (e.g., treating without valid consent), while assault is causing someone to apprehend imminent unlawful force; both are relevant when dental treatment is performed without consent.
Question 6: What does 'vicarious liability' mean in the context of a dental practice?
- An employer may be liable for the negligent acts of their employees performed in the course of employment (Correct answer)
- Only the individual clinician bears liability
- Patients can only sue the individual dentist
- Insurance companies bear all liability
Correct answer: An employer may be liable for the negligent acts of their employees performed in the course of employment
Vicarious liability means that a dental practice owner/employer may be held legally responsible for the negligent acts of their employed dental team members occurring during the course of their employment.
ORE Part 2 Dental Law & Ethics (GDC) 4
Which regulatory body is responsible for registering and regulating dental professionals in the UK?