Acknowledgements, xi

Abbreviations, xiii

Chapter 1 The basics of performance, 1

Introduction, 1

What is performance? 3

What is poor performance? 6

Fitness to practise, 9

Red door/green door, 10

Chapter 2 Background and contributory factors: How performance issues can arise, 13

Introduction, 13

Pressures on dentists, 14

Factors that underpin poor performance, 15

Chapter 3 Professionalism, 27

What is professionalism? 27

What does professionalism encompass? 30

How should a professional behave? 30

Societal expectations of professionals, 31

Character, 32

Building blocks of character, 33

Ethical frameworks within which professionals operate, 34

How does character relate to professionalism? 36

Tests of integrity, 36

Virtue ethics, 37

Honesty and dishonesty, 38

Communication, 42

Criminal record, convictions and cautions, 43

Scotland, 45

Protected conviction or caution, 45

Chapter 4 Regulation of dentistry and dental professionals, 48

Regulation, 48

General Medical Council, 49

General Pharmaceutical Council, 50

General Dental Council, 50

Registration, 51

NHS England, 52

Care Quality Commission, 53

Healthcare Inspectorate Wales, 54

Scotland, 54

Northern Ireland, 55

Professional Standards Authority, 56

Regulation of Dental Services Programme Board, 57

Health and Safety Executive, 58

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, 59

Right‐touch regulation, 60

Chapter 5 Organisations that play a supporting role, 63

Specialist indemnity providers, 63

Educational support, 64

Health support, 67

Mentoring/professional support, 68

Advisory support, 69

Conclusion, 70

Chapter 6 The anatomy of a fitness to practise case, 72

Introduction, 72

Fitness to practise, 74

General Dental Council, 74

Fitness to practise process, 75

Interim Orders Committee, 77

Investigating Committee, 77

Practice Committees, 78

Sanctions, 78

Convictions/cautions, 82

Analysis, 83

Erasure, 86

Conclusion, 91

Chapter 7 The registrant’s journey, personal statements and case studies, 93

How it can begin, 94

The Hero’s Journey, 95

Case studies, 101

Stages of change or grief, 111

Taking a preventive approach, 113

Chapter 8 Building self‐awareness and insight, 115

Self‐awareness, 116

Insight, 116

Learning styles, 119

Tools to deepen self‐awareness, 124

Conclusion, 138

Chapter 9 Tools that can help, 140

Personal development plan, 141

Peer review, 144

Professional discussion and dialogue, 144

Case studies and presentations, 145

Clinical audit, 146

Staff meetings, 148

Patient surveys (feedback), 148

360° multisource feedback, 150

Standards, national guidelines, 151

Working with a mentor, 151

Working with a coach, 152

Appendix A Personal development plan template, 154

Appendix B Patient engagement questionnaire, 156

Appendix C Influencing skills questionnaire – 360° colleague feedback, 157

Chapter 10 Supporting colleagues who struggle, 160

Being non‐judgemental, 160

Listening, 160

Paraphrasing, 161

Questioning, 161

Guiding, 161

Reflective practice/writing and learning, 161

Working one to one, 172

Force field analysis, 176

Neurological levels, 177

Conclusion, 181

Index, 183