Dental Care Professionals: Are You Ready For The Introduction Of Compulsory Continuing Professional Development (CPD)? UK

Main Category: Dentistry
Article Date: 09 Apr 2008 - 1:00 PDT

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To help dental care professionals (DCPs) prepare for the introduction of compulsory continuing professional development (CPD), the GDC has produced guidance on the requirements.

From 1 August 2008 all DCPs will need to start documenting their CPD. They will be required to complete and record a minimum of 150 hours of CPD every five-year cycle, a third of which should be verifiable CPD (50 hours). This should include verifiable CPD in the following core subjects:

- medical emergencies (10 hours per cycle)
- disinfection and decontamination (5 hours per cycle)
- radiography and radiation protection (5 hours per cycle)

Dental technicians will be able to substitute radiography and radiation protection for materials and equipment (5 hours per cycle).

Further details are available in the booklet, 'Continuing professional development for dental care professionals', which is being sent to all DCPs currently registered with the GDC. It is also available on the GDC website.

The GDC is currently consulting on the content of the procedural rules on CPD for DCPs. The consultation document is available on the GDC website. The closing date for responses is 16 May 2008.

General Dental Council