General Dental Council: updated CPD guidance for UK dentists

The General Dental Council recently announced some simplifications to its Enhanced CPD scheme for UK-registered dentists.

For one, CPD certificates from courses etc. will no longer have to show a dentist’s GDC number. Although minor for UK-based dentists, many international dentists who maintain UK registration found it hard to get certificate issuers to include their GDC number on their attendance certificate.

The changes are largely minor

Further minor changes include:

• The easing of GDC strict rules on signatures on certificates and mapping documents.
• Further clarification of the process envisaged for dentists to ask for extra time to meet their annual CPD targets, the so-called ‘grace period’.

UKmed looks after dentists’ annual CPD, so we are in a position to say with certainty that these changes are largely minor. However, they will make life easier for several dentists, especially those with atypical evidence of course/conference/training attendance.

Read the full details.

Why UK dentists are required to log their CPD

UK-registered dentists have to complete a minimum number of quality-assured hours of CPD during every 5-year long cycle.

They also have to log their CPD on the GDC’s own eGDC platform throughout the year.

If they don’t comply with the GDC’s CPD requirements, they will be struck off the register.

Do you want to find out more about dentistry in the UK?

UKmed offers career advice and actual support to dentists thinking of obtaining UK registration and joining the NHS or private sector. With several years of experience and our finger on the pulse of UK dentistry, you’ll be able to make solid plans for your future career.

You could ask UKmed to advise you on your CPD requirements and, even better, maintain your Personal Development Plan and annual CPD logs.

Or, you could keep in touch with our Lead Coach on LinkedIn.