Who am I? 

I am the owner of a private dental practice that stopped treating patients face to face on the 25th March 2020 at the direction of the CQC.

Our case

From 25.03.2020 the CQC adopted the guidance of the CDO and prohibited all private dentists from performing routine and emergency dental treatments in England. NHS providers were allowed to continue working from appointed Urgent Dental Care Centres or hospital clinics during this period. It is our view that the CQC were wrong to adopt this guidance and were acting outside the scope of their authority. 

We are raising funds to initiate a legal challenge to a) ensure that private dentists can return to work without fear of arbitrary enforcement action by the CQC b) to compensate private dentists for the enforced period of closure. 

What are we trying to achieve? 

We feel that none of the bodies representing the profession have sufficiently protected the interests of private practices and private associates. We want to ensure that private dentists can return to work immediately and safely, without fear of regulatory action being taken against them. We also want those dentists to be compensated for the period that they have been wrongly instructed to close. 

However, our primary goal is to be able to return to work to provide much needed dental care to our patients, many of whom have not been able to access dental treatment during this period, or have been offered limited treatment that has resulted in irreparable damage to their long term oral health 

What is the next step in the case? 

We will instruct JFH Law, a law firm who specialise in dental legal cases to take matters forward and to seek the advice of a leading QC as to the merits of any action.

How much we are raising and why? 

We want to raise £50,000 at this stage to allow sufficient funds to instruct lawyers, obtain the QC's advice and draft any necessary letters before action to the CQC for the judicial review of their actions and/or civil case. We are asking for individuals to make an initial contribution of £100; although all donations are welcome. 

We appreciate and thank you for your support. This will not be possible without the support of the profession.