The General Dental Council (GDC) has opened the 2026 annual renewal period for dental care professionals (DCPs), reminding them to pay the increased fee and complete the process on time to retain their registration.
DCPs must complete three steps to remain on the GDC register:
- Pay the Annual Retention Fee (ARF) of £108 by 31 July 2026
- Declare that they have appropriate indemnity or insurance cover in place no later than 31 July 2026
- Submit a CPD statement by 28 August 2026.
This year, renewal must be completed through MyGDC, the online portal which replaced eGDC in March 2026.
Anthony McNally, head of customer services at the GDC, said: ‘This year, dental care professionals are completing their annual renewal via MyGDC for the first time, and we want that experience to be as straightforward as possible. If you have not yet logged in, please do so and reset your password before you renew. It only takes a few minutes.’
When did the ARF increase?
In October 2025, it was announced that the ARF would now stand at £698 for dentists and £108 for DCPs. This is roughly a 12.5% increase for all dental professionals.
The GDC confirmed that it would adjust the ARF ‘as needed’ from 2027 onwards. However, it said that further rises would not exceed the rate of the consumer price index (CPI) except in ‘exceptional circumstances’.
Since 2024, the GDC has collected working patterns data alongside the annual renewal process.
Anthony McNally said: ‘We also want to encourage as many dental care professionals as possible to complete the working patterns survey alongside their renewal. The data is becoming increasingly valuable to the dental sector, and every additional response helps build a clearer picture of the workforce.’
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