‘A culture of silence’ is masking sexual misconduct in dentistry

A former General Dental Council (GDC) clinical fellow is calling for a radical shift in how the dental sector manages workplace risk, warning that a ‘culture of silence’ is masking the problem of sexual misconduct in the profession.

Writing for the <ahref="https:>GDC's blog, Lauren Stockham highlighted a critical data gap in the UK.

She cited a 2025 University of Manchester <ahref="https:>rapid evidence review which revealed that 41%of dental professionals globally have witnessed or experienced sexual misconduct.

But, despite these figures, researchers noted a scarcity of UK-specific data,suggesting that current reporting mechanisms are failing to capture the true extent of the hazard. </ahref="https:></ahref="https:>

“There are lots of myths and misconceptions about sexual harassment and assault,” Stockham writes.

“Not least, that it happens in dark alleys between strangers.

“But we know that it happens in workplaces. And this, of course, includes dental practices and training environments – brightly-lit surgeries, perpetrated by those we know and trust.”

The figures reveal that prevalence of sexual misconduct globally is higher among dental hygienists, over 90% of whom in the UK are women.

Meanwhile, feedback from a recent stakeholder event has suggested the issue is under reported as well as under researched.

“This indicates a culture of silence in dentistry. This must change. It is not safe for anyone to work, provide dental care, or receive it, in a culture of silence,” Stockham said.

The Manchester study – an analysis of 23 peer-reviewed studies involving nearly 9,000 participants – found that prevalence was notably higher among dental hygienists, students and trainees, and dental care professionals.

And Stockham argues that the traditional focus on patient safeguarding must be expanded to include the psychosocial safety of colleagues.

“We all know it’s our duty to safeguard our patients. But we need to apply the same duty to our colleagues,” she said.

“This involves supporting colleagues to speak up early, calling out inappropriate behaviours to prevent them escalating, and acting on reports.”

She says there is a ‘shared commitment’ among experts working in dentistry, education, academia, claims resolution, law, and regulation to address the issue.

“I want to thank those already committed and contributing to this important work and I look forward to continued collaboration in the months ahead,” she said.

“If I haven’t yet spoken to you, please reach out. To everyone else, I would like to ask you to reflect on the role you play in preventing and addressing sexual misconduct in dentistry – the standard we walk past is the standard we accept.”