Open Wide With Greater Confidence - Statutory Registration Kicks In, Says General Dental Council, UK

Main Category: Dentistry
Article Date: 01 Aug 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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Dental patients can now open wide with greater confidence following statutory registration of dental nurses and dental technicians with the UK's dental regulator, the General Dental Council.

Compulsory registration for dental nurses and dental technicians kicked in at midnight (30 July 2008). Existing dental nurses and dental technicians have had two years to register with the GDC and as the clock struck 12 and the deadline passed 36,225 dental nurses and 6381 dental technicians were registered in the UK. Another estimated 5000 applications are still to be processed.

The newly registered professionals join dentists, clinical dental technicians, dental hygienists, dental therapists and orthodontic therapists on the GDC's registers to bring the total number of registrants to 83,910, excluding those still to be processed.

GDC Chief executive and Registrar Duncan Rudkin said:

"We have made a concerted effort to make the registration process as straightforward as possible for everyone and to ensure a smooth transition. We have carried out a relentless campaign over the past two years to ensure everyone knew about registration, and kept the doors of our three offices open until midnight last night to receive last minute applications. We have kept banging the drum and it's great news for the public that dental care professionals have registered in numbers.

"Registration brings with it new responsibilities and the GDC will be doing all it can to ensure registrants are kept fully up to date with the latest information, news and requirements through our website and the GDC Gazette."

Until the 30 July deadline, dental nurses and dental technicians without a formal qualification but with enough experience could register with the GDC. However now the deadline has passed, all applicants need a formal GDC recognised qualification to register.

The number of registrants reflects the number of applications processed up till midnight on 30 July. Those applications that came in just before the deadline will be processed over the next three to four weeks.

General Dental Council