At such a crucial time in dentistry, Dentistry is calling for fairer regulation to reduce the number of unnecessary removals from the GDC register.
As a leading voice of UK dentistry, FMC understands the potential impact of the current regulations by the General Dental Council (GDC) on the profession.
From dental technicians to dental nurses, we have heard numerous stories of dedicated dental professionals being removed from the register due to minor administrative errors – be it forgetting to pay their ARF or being an hour or two short on their continuing professional development (CPD) requirements.
The process to be reinstated can take weeks, during which time these professionals are left unable to practise – not only impacting their livelihood but also the ability of practices to provide the best and safest care possible for their patients.
Better flexibility
Dentistry believes the current system lacks the necessary flexibility and understanding, and does not account for human error or unforeseen circumstances that may cause a dental professional to miss registration or CPD deadlines.
According to the GDC’s website, dental professionals currently have to apply for a CPD grace period before the end of their CPD cycle. The GDC website states: ‘You’ll need to explain why you need a grace period, such as you are in exceptional circumstances, or there is another good reason why you need more time.’
As a result, we would like to work with the GDC to help introduce a mandatory grace period following both registration and CPD statement deadlines. This would provide a much-needed buffer, reducing unnecessary removals from the register at such a critical time in UK dentistry.
Our proposals
Therefore, we are proposing:
- The GDC introduces a mandatory two week/14 day grace period for all dental professionals following deadlines for registration and CPD statements
- If a dental professional is short on their CPD requirements by three hours or less, they are allowed to make this up within said grace period
- During this grace period, the GDC commits to sending out three additional reminders to those who:
a. Have not re-registered
b. Are currently short on their CPD statement
c. Have not made a CPD statement.
These changes will ensure fairer regulation while maintaining high professional standards within the dental industry.
United voice
Gaby Bissett, editor of Dentistry.co.uk, said: ‘We are very proud to launch the Saving Grace campaign, an initiative focused on taking a step towards fairer regulation processes.
‘We hope our calls for a mandatory grace period for all dental professionals will encourage productive conversations with the GDC and pave the way for regulation that better accounts for human error and unforeseen circumstances.
‘This campaign hopes to usher in a more empathetic, fair and patient-centric regulation process for UK dentistry.
‘It not only safeguards the livelihoods of dedicated dental professionals but also allows competent practitioners to focus on what they do best – providing exceptional care to their patients.’
Please join us in advocating for this crucial reform by signing our petition today: www.bit.ly/saving-grace-dentistry.
Get involved! If you would like to write an article for the campaign, please email [email protected].
