Dental regulation, standards and fitness to practise

GDC ‘must modernise’ to secure future of dentistry, dental leaders tell health secretary

A dental association this week told health secretary Wes Streeting that reform of the General Dental Council (GDC) is a…

Dentistry

Annual Retention Fee increase confirmed for 2026 by GDC

The General Dental Council (GDC) has confirmed that the Annual Retention Fee (ARF) will be increased for both dentists and…

Breaking news

Only one quarter of DCPs deliver mostly NHS treatment

Almost 75% of dental care professionals (DCPs) spend the majority of their time working in mixed or private practice, new…

Dentistry

Bidding process for new ORE contract in final stages

The bidding process for the new overseas registration exam (ORE) contract has reached its final stage, according to the General…

Dentistry

What does new scope of practice guidance mean for dental therapists?

‘Modern techniques, evolving technologies, and future role expansion’ – Cat Edney considers the impact of changes to the General Dental…

Columnists

Dentist erased after admitting to ‘racially-motivated’ emails to colleagues

A dentist who admitted to writing ‘inappropriate and racially-motivated’ comments about Indian dentistry has been erased from the register. The…

Dentistry

GDC releases whistleblowing stats for 2024-25 

The General Dental Council (GDC) has released its annual whistleblowing report, showing the number of blue-on-blue referrals it received in…

Dentistry

GDC publishes revised scope of practice guidance

Updated guidance on the scope of practice for clinical roles has been released by the General Dental Council (GDC). Published…

Dentistry

‘Fear, uncertainty, exhaustion’: navigating fitness to practise proceedings

Carol Somerville Roberts shares her personal experience of fitness to practise proceedings and advice for other dental professionals on how…

Dentistry

Dentist struck off for forging patient complaints against colleagues

A dentist has been erased from the GDC register for submitting fake patient complaints as part of fitness to practise…

Dentistry

Two thirds of UK dental hygienists work in private practice

More than two thirds of dental hygienists and half of dental therapists in clinical roles work in the private sector.…

Dentistry

Conspiracy theories: patient understanding versus provider obligation

There was a time when the understanding of patients was broadly aligned with professional standards – Kevin Lewis asks how this…

Columnists

What is the GDC not telling dental technicians?

Laboratory’s Matt Everatt explores what the General Dental Council’s (GDC) response to his Freedom of Information Act (FOI) request means…

Dentistry

How does the profession feel about dental technology regulation?

Laboratory recently carried out a survey to find out how the profession feels about the way it is regulated and…

Dentistry

General Dental Council appoints new chair

Helen Phillips has been announced as the new chair of the General Dental Council (GDC) from October 2025. This follows…

Dentistry

GDC extends fitness to practise improvements

The initial enquiries process introduced to improve ‘timeliness and proportionality’ in fitness to practise proceedings will now apply to isolated…

Dentistry

DCPs urged to complete CPD cycle ahead of deadline

The annual renewal period for dental care professionals (DCPs) is now open – with the dental regulator introducing some simplified…

Dental Nursing

GDC strategy to focus on ‘reducing fear of regulation’  

The General Dental Council has today launched a consultation on its new regulation strategy, with a focus on international registration…

Dentistry

Dental nurse suspended for posting patients online – what can we learn from this?

Professionalism, privacy, and the perils of posting: Biju Krishnan shares some lessons from a GDC fitness to practise case in…

Dental Nursing