From 1 April 2011, all primary dental care services that provide regulated activities, whether NHS or private, must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Registration is a legal licence to operate. If you are an individual, partnership or organisation that provides dental services, you must show that you meet essential standards of quality and safety to be registered.
CQC is holding a series of free events in September, which will give you further information about the new registration system and the process for completing and submitting an application. They will also provide an opportunity for you to ask questions. The events will be held between 6pm and 8pm on the following dates:
• Wednesday 15 September – Birmingham
• Thursday 16 September – Manchester
• Tuesday 21 September – Newcastle
• Thursday 23 September – London
• Thursday 7 October – Bristol
Find out how to register on CQC’s website at www.cqc.org.uk/newsandevents/events.cfm.
To help influence and find out more about the registration process, you could join CQC’s provider reference group – an online community offering you the opportunity to engage with CQC’s work through a variety of methods, including ‘virtual’ events, live web discussions, surveys, discussion forums and polls. You can learn more and sign up at www.cqc.org.uk/prg.
You can also sign up to CQC’s monthly e-update for primary dental care providers to keep you up to date with the latest information about registration at: www.cqc.org.uk/newsandevents/newsletter.cfm.
