Here we are at the twilight of 2023, with the dawn of a new year peeking over the horizon and our attention turning to the year ahead. We'll start the new year with the prospects of two major shake-ups of the dental landscape incoming, namely the likelihood of a General Election and a new registrar and chief executive for the GDC, both of which bring a degree of uncertainty.

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Although the political environment is a little more stable than last year's, the government is firmly entering election mode, and we find ourselves with yet another new Health Secretary and Minister responsible for dentistry. One would assume that their focus would not be on reforming the current NHS contract before an election but on what promises they can make to ensure they stay in power. There's also little coming from the opposition parties as to their plans for the future of dentistry - no doubt they want to keep their powder dry for fear of anyone else stealing their ideas.

In addition, the recent Health and Social Care Committee report on dentistry is in limbo. Its findings confirmed what dentists have been saying for years, with an NHS service in crisis and many unable to access any form of dentistry. But with little time to bring forward any proposal for change in this session of Parliament and a government facing a seemingly monumental struggle to keep its position in charge, the report risks being buried, and its recommendations are unlikely to be acted upon. No matter the election result, any new government will take time to get up to speed with new faces in ministerial positions and new ideas to bring to the profession. Under the NHS, dentistry is in a holding pattern for the foreseeable future.

However, what is guaranteed to change is how the GDC is overseen. The chief executive manages the day-to-day running of the Council, and Ian Brack moving on should see a line drawn under the time where we were encouraged to see patients not as people in search of oral healthcare but as customers purchasing a product. At the time of writing, there has been no mention of a replacement for Mr Brack, but whoever is chosen to fill the position requires an intrinsic understanding of everyday life as a healthcare professional. While the Professional Standards Agency, the regulators' regulator, has reported improvements in the operation of the GDC, there are still issues to be solved, including the process of the ORE exams and ongoing problems with Fitness to Practise procedures. The new chief executive needs to prioritise these areas, but also has the power to make dentistry a more welcoming profession for those wishing to enter. The government is putting people off wanting to work in the NHS, and the GDC makes many wonder if the job is worthwhile at all. The following year could be pivotal for the future of dentistry. Let's hope whoever ends up running the show knows what they're doing.