Provisional registration plans for overseas dentists will come with ‘significant costs’, says the General Dental Council (GDC) as it welcomes the government consultation.
The regulator has today published its response to the government’s proposal, calling it a ‘valuable opportunity’ for overseas clinicians.
However, the GDC stressed the importance of the proposed legislation providing the right framework. It called for further work for them to develop the rules and system in collaboration with other stakeholders.
In February, the government proposed plans to enable overseas-qualified dentists who have not yet achieved full GDC registration to be able to work in the UK more quickly through the introduction of a system of provisional registration.
Provisional registration would allow an overseas-qualified dentist to practise in any dental setting, including high street dental practices. It would also have to be under the supervision of a dentist who has full registration on the GDC’s dentist register.
‘There are upfront costs associated with developing and setting up the regulatory regime…these costs will ultimately be met by registrants and by the providers of dental services, since all of the GDC’s costs fall to be recovered from fees’
GDC consultation response, 16 May 2024
Suitable environment
The GDC’s response to the government includes a number of suggestions for amendments to the draft legislation. It says these are needed to ensure that provisional registration can work ‘safely and effectively’. This includes areas such as assessment, quality assurance and supervision. In addition, it stresses ensuring that provisional registration aligns with existing regulatory processes, such as CPD and fitness to practise.
It adds that its introduction will also lead to increased costs. Its response reads: ‘Provisional registration will lead to significant costs to the GDC.
‘There are upfront costs associated with developing and setting up the regulatory regime; and, on implementation, there will be costs associated with the continuing regulation of provisional registrants and their supervisors.
‘These costs will ultimately be met by registrants and by the providers of dental services, since all of the GDC’s costs fall to be recovered from fees.
‘There will in addition be significant costs attached to the delivery of provisional registration which will fall directly to other organisations. These include the costs of providing suitable practice environments, the cost of providing supervision, including recruitment and training as well remuneration, and the costs of supporting or remunerating the provisional registrants themselves.’
It adds that resources and funding will need to be considered and allowed for by delivery organisations.
Close collaboration
Stefan Czerniawski is executive director of strategy at the GDC. He said: ‘The government’s proposal for provisional registration represents the most substantial change to dental regulation in many years.
‘It is essential that it is introduced in a way which protects patient safety and provides effective support and supervision for the internationally-qualified dentists who become provisional registrants.
‘The legislative framework published by the government does much of what is necessary to make that possible. We are pleased to have the opportunity to suggest ways in which it could be improved.
‘Putting the enabling legislation in place is the essential first step. But there will then be a great deal more detailed work to be done in close collaboration with other organisations across dentistry, to design, develop and implement a system to deliver provisional registration in practice.’
You can read the full response here.
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