The General Dental Council (GDC) has issued a timely reminder to dental professionals about their Continuing Professional Development (CPD) obligations.
The GDC offers detailed guidance on verifiable CPD, the Annual Retention Fee (ARF) deadline, and the submission of CPD statements, ensuring dental professionals remain compliant and continue to provide high standards of patient care.
Enhancing skills in dental laboratories
Verifiable CPD is a critical component of a dental professional’s ongoing education and practice. To be recognised as verifiable, CPD activities must meet specific criteria, including clearly defined aims and objectives, relevant content, and evidence of participation, such as certificates.
Verifiable CPD activities include lectures, seminars, practical courses, and online learning modules that involve assessments. For dental technicians, these activities are essential for staying updated with the latest technologies and techniques in dental laboratory work.
CPD must be verifiable, however there may be instances where securing evidence from the CPD provider is not possible. In those instances, registrants should keep a copy of the verifiable CPD mapping document, alongside a clear and detailed account of the CPD activity completed in their activity log.
The activity log helps dental professionals categorise their CPD activities and understand the specific requirements for verifiable CPD. The tool is designed to guide professionals in aligning their CPD activities with their personal development plan (PDP) and the GDC’s wider standards.
CPD requirements for dental technicians
All dental professionals must meet their CPD requirements, particularly the mandate of completing at least 10 hours of verifiable CPD every two years. This requirement, often referred to as the “10-in-2 rule,” is part of a broader CPD scheme designed to ensure that dental professionals maintain up-to-date knowledge and skills throughout their careers.
Depending on their registrant titles, dental professionals must do a certain minimum number of hours of verifiable CPD for each five-year cycle:
- Dentists: 100 hours
- Dental therapists, hygienists, orthodontic therapists, clinical dental technicians: 75 hours
- Dental nurses and dental technicians: 50 hours
Dental professionals must complete a Personal Development Plan (PDP) and meet their minimum number of CPD hours. A PDP helps to identify CPD needs and priorities, and ensures that the selected CPD activities are relevant and beneficial.
Annual Retention Fee (ARF) deadline: Ensuring continued registration
Timely payment of the ARF is essential as failure to do so can result in removal from the GDC register, thereby preventing the individual from legally practising dentistry in the UK.
Dental professionals must pay the ARF to maintain registration with the GDC. The deadlines for these payments are crucial:
- Dentists: The ARF deadline is 31 December each year.
- Dental care professionals (DCPs): The ARF deadline is 31 July each year.
CPD statement deadline: Ensuring compliance
The CPD statement is a declaration that dental professionals must complete, detailing the CPD activities they have undertaken within the year. This submission is a critical part of the GDC’s regulatory process, ensuring that all registered professionals are actively engaged in their professional development.
Dentists should submit their CPD statements by 28 January, following the end of the CPD year on 31 December.
DCPs, including dental technicians, must submit their CPD statements by 28 August, following the end of the CPD year on 31 July.
Support and resources
The GDC offers a range of resources to support dental professionals in meeting their CPD and ARF obligations, including the mapping document, guidelines, and eGDC, the online portal for managing CPD activities and payments.
For more information, visit www.gdc-uk.org/education-cpd.