Defending you

Representing you at a GDC fitness to practise hearing

One of the toughest experiences for a member is to face a registration body fitness to practise hearing. Your career and reputation are on the line. At this point you want to know you have the best dental experts and lawyers defending you. To save you distress, we aim to give you a team that will stay with you from the start to the end of your case.

The costs of defending a GDC case can be around £60,000, although some are considerably more. However, you can rest assured that we can represent you at a hearing, giving you the best chance of a good outcome.

If your GDC case leads to a referral to the High Court by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA), we can be by your side, providing you with robust legal representation.

Representing you at a disciplinary hearing

If you face a disciplinary hearing in connection with your clinical practice, we can provide you with expert advice and representation and attend with you (if we are allowed to under the procedures).

Professional indemnity for claims

We can defend you against claims that arise from the normal practice of dentistry in the UK.

We recognise your professional reputation is at stake. This is why we will not settle a claim without your agreement.

Where it is appropriate that patients are compensated, we aim to do so quickly and efficiently to minimise stress for everyone involved.

If you face a claim, we can help you with:

• paying compensation, claimants' legal costs and defence expenses arising from claims for professional negligence arising from your clinical practice (including assistance for your personal representatives and beneficiaries if a claim arises after your death); 
• defence costs (but not damages) for claims which arise from allegations of defamation against you, arising from your clinical practice; 
• defence costs (but not damages) for claims which arise from allegations, which are not proven or admitted, of sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, unlawful discrimination or any other alleged unlawful conduct by you which arises from your clinical practice; and
• indemnity for claims arising from Good Samaritan acts carried out anywhere in the world.

Reporting a claim

Usually the first time you hear about a claim for compensation against you is when you receive court papers or a letter from a patient or their solicitor (a 'letter of claim'). This can be a shock.

Our claims team is here to support you every step of the way. The team includes dentists, professional indemnity claims experts and solicitors, who will keep you informed about the progress of the claim.

Once you have told us about the claim, an adviser will send you a checklist of documents we need from you. You can see the checklist here.

We will ask you to send your documents without delay to:

Claims Manager
MDU Services Limited
One Canada Square
London E14 5GS

It's important that you do this straight away, as we usually only have 16 weeks from you receiving a detailed 'letter of claim' (or less time if you have received court papers) to provide a detailed response.

Reporting a claim to us is easy. Simply call our advisory helpline on 0800 374 626 (or 1 800 535935 from Ireland). The sooner we know, the sooner we can help you.