GDC Registration Research Articles

GDC registration fees and your DCP team

GDC registration fees and your DCP team

P092 Does UK oral and maxillofacial training satisfy the requirements for GDC registration as a specialist in oral surgery? A quantitative forensic analysis

P092 Does UK oral and maxillofacial training satisfy the requirements for GDC registration as a specialist in oral surgery? A quantitative forensic analysis

Removal and Restoration to the GDC Register

Removal and Restoration to the GDC Register

Speaking up for balance: analysis of the gender of invited speakers at UK dental conferences.

Introduction Across healthcare, there is an urgent call to action to address systematic gender bias impeding equity for women. Gender imbalance exists for speakers at medical conferences. This research presents the first descriptive analysis of gender balance of speakers at dental conferences.Objectives Describe the gender balance of invited speakers at UK conferences of the dental specialties and general dentistry in a two-year period. Consider the findings in relation to gender balance of dental and specialist registrants.Method Gender, presentation length and professional role were extracted from conference programmes. Acceptable gender balance was pre-specified as 40-60%. Gender data were extracted from the GDC registration report.Results Of 352 invited speakers, 39.8% (n = 140) were identified as female and 60.2% (n = 212) as male. Gender was acceptably balanced in 21.4% (n = 3) of conferences. Gender balance of specialist speakers varied, as does gender distribution within the specialties themselves. Only 38.5% (n = 5) of specialties had a specialist speaker gender balance representative of their speciality.Conclusion There is a call for further research to drive equity in the characteristics of invited speakers and to determine whether there is correlation with representation in the composition of conference organising committees, leadership, professional roles and the workforce. Conference organisers are encouraged to strive proactively and prospectively towards representative programmes.

Don't forget to renew your GDC registration!

Don't forget to renew your GDC registration!

Keeping it real

A handpiece that disintegrates in the patient's mouth at high speed is a serious matter, and any professional found using counterfeit or substandard equipment risks their GDC registration, and certainly their reputation

GDC register will drop registrants' addresses

GDC register will drop registrants' addresses

The impact of General Dental Council registration and continuing professional development on UK dental care professionals: (1) dental nurses

To investigate the impact of GDC registration and mandatory CPD on dental nurses' views, job satisfaction and intention to leave. Postal/online survey, conducted in parallel with a survey of dental technicians. UK private and NHS practices, community services, dental hospitals. Representative sample of General Dental Council registrants. Job satisfaction; intention to leave profession (dependent variable in regression analysis). Eleven were ineligible (left profession, moved abroad); 267 (44% of those eligible) responded, all female. Respondents' mean age was 38.2 years (sd 10.74). The general principle of registration was endorsed by 67%, and compulsory registration by 51%, but the fee level by only 6%. Most nurses did not feel that registration had affected their view of dental nursing as a career (56%), their role (74%) or status (86%) within the dental team, or that CPD helped them to do their job better (76%). Fifty-six percent were not satisfied with their job, and 22% intended to leave the profession. Intention to leave was predicted by younger age and greater dissatisfaction with physical working conditions and opportunities to progress. Widely held criticisms regarding the costs and relevance of registration and CPD coupled with a potentially high level of attrition from the profession suggest a review of the fee and salary structure and greater financial support for CPD is warranted.

Summary of: The impact of General Dental Council registration and continuing professional development on UK dental care professionals: (1) dental nurses

Objective To investigate the impact of GDC registration and mandatory CPD on dental nurses' views, job satisfaction and intention to leave. Design Postal/online survey, conducted in parallel with a survey of dental technicians. Setting UK private and NHS practices, community services, dental hospitals. Subjects and methods Representative sample of General Dental Council registrants. Main outcome measures Job satisfaction; intention to leave profession (dependent variable in regression analysis). Results Eleven were ineligible (left profession, moved abroad); 267 (44% of those eligible) responded, all female. Respondents' mean age was 38.2 years (sd 10.74). The general principle of registration was endorsed by 67%, and compulsory registration by 51%, but the fee level by only 6%. Most nurses did not feel that registration had affected their view of dental nursing as a career (56%), their role (74%) or status (86%) within the dental team, or that CPD helped them to do their job better (76%). Fiftly-six percent were not satisfied with their job, and 22% intended to leave the profession. Intention to leave was predicted by younger age and greater dissatisfaction with physical working conditions and opportunities to progress. Conclusions Widely held criticisms regarding the costs and relevance of registration and CPD coupled with a potentially high level of attrition from the profession suggest a review of the fee and salary structure and greater financial support for CPD is warranted.

What is revalidation and why is the GDC introducing it?

Dental nurses need to keep their knowledge up-to-date to stay on the GDC register. But just showing that you meet the standards when joining the GDC register is no longer enough. You need to consistently show that you meet the standards to stay on the register. This article explains the GDC's introduction of revalidation.

What can I claim?

Ian Simpson, Chartered Accountant and member of NASDA*, explains tax claims on GDC registration fees, uniform and laundry.

Activity and education of UK CDTs

Aims This survey aimed to determine the clinical activity of clinical dental technicians (CDTs) in the UK and to establish their employment status, views of statutory registration and need for further education. Until 2006, this practise was illegal in the UK. Materials and methods A postal questionnaire was sent to 128 members of the Clinical Dental Technicians' Association (CDTA) who had agreed to participate in this study. Analysis was conducted using standard non-parametric statistical tests and quantitative techniques. Results A response rate of 54% was achieved. Qualifications in clinical dental technology from George Brown College, Toronto, Canada were held by 68%, with 16% currently undergoing training and 16% neither qualified nor in training. The majority (90%) owned a laboratory with 61% stating they had between one and four dental surgeries on site. CDTs with Canadian qualifications tended to provide a wider range of procedures, coupled with patient lists and recall systems, compared to those not so qualified. Eighty-one percent welcomed the prospect of statutory registration with 82% indicating that it would enhance their professional profile. Conclusions This small but significant survey gives some insight of the work which has been undertaken by CDTs for many years, albeit illegally. With appropriate training and education, and consequent GDC registration, CDTs will be in a position to make a positive contribution to the clinical care of patients.

Activity and education of clinical dental technicians: a UK survey

This survey aimed to determine the clinical activity of clinical dental technicians (CDTs) in the UK and to establish their employment status, views of statutory registration and need for further education. Until 2006, this practise was illegal in the UK. A postal questionnaire was sent to 128 members of the Clinical Dental Technicians' Association (CDTA) who had agreed to participate in this study. Analysis was conducted using standard non-parametric statistical tests and quantitative techniques. A response rate of 54% was achieved. Qualifications in clinical dental technology from George Brown College, Toronto, Canada were held by 68%, with 16% currently undergoing training and 16% neither qualified nor in training. The majority (90%) owned a laboratory with 61% stating they had between one and four dental surgeries on site. CDTs with Canadian qualifications tended to provide a wider range of procedures, coupled with patient lists and recall systems, compared to those not so qualified. Eighty-one percent welcomed the prospect of statutory registration with 82% indicating that it would enhance their professional profile. This small but significant survey gives some insight of the work which has been undertaken by CDTs for many years, albeit illegally. With appropriate training and education, and consequent GDC registration, CDTs will be in a position to make a positive contribution to the clinical care of patients.

Clock ticking on GDC registration

Clock ticking on GDC registration

Drop into the GDC registration surgery

Drop into the GDC registration surgery

GDC registration fee levels for 2007 announced

GDC registration fee levels for 2007 announced

Overdue, but welcome: the BADN speaks on GDC registration <BR>A new constitution for the DCP Advisory Board

Overdue, but welcome: the BADN speaks on GDC registration <BR>A new constitution for the DCP Advisory Board

Perceptions of how the Internet has impacted on dentistry

This study sought to identify how patient information on the Internet has influenced the delivery of oral care and the use practitioners themselves make of the Internet. Data were collected via a self completed 18 item postal questionnaire, sent to a random sample of 620 dentists on the GDC register in Wales. In total 457 (74%) of the questionnaires were returned. One half of all practitioners stated that patients had asked them about material of relevance to dentistry obtained from the Internet, although in the majority of cases this happened less frequently than once a month. The most common topics enquired after were cosmetic procedures, dental amalgam and implants. A minority of dentists, 47 (11%) viewed the Internet as a threat to the dentist-patient relationship. However, 169 (39%) agreed information gained from the Internet had led to patients demanding inappropriate care or more complex treatment (135/31%). Having to take time to discuss Internet material was viewed as a burden by 93 practitioners. The potential of the Internet to widen inequalities in access to oral health information was agreed upon by one third of respondents. Concerns over the quality and reliability of Internet derived information, together with a lack of knowledge of appropriate sites, prevented dentists using the Internet as an oral health education resource. However, only 18.7% claimed never to use the Internet for their own Continuing Professional Development. Access for CPD purposes was mainly from home. Of those working in general practice, 54 had their own practice website, and a further 103 said this was something they were considering. Email was used to communicate with patients by 42 dentists, mainly to make appointments. Views on the impact of the Internet were generally positive, but there is a long way to go before its full potential is realised.

How has the Internet affected dentistry?

Objectives This study sought to identify how patient information on the Internet has influenced the delivery of oral care and the use practitioners themselves make of the Internet. Methodology Data were collected via a self completed 18 item postal questionnaire, sent to a random sample of 620 dentists on the GDC register in Wales. Results In total 457 (74%) of the questionnaires were returned. One half of all practitioners stated that patients had asked them about material of relevance to dentistry obtained from the Internet, although in the majority of cases this happened less frequently than once a month. The most common topics enquired after were cosmetic procedures, dental amalgam and implants. A minority of dentists, 47 (11%) viewed the Internet as a threat to the dentist-patient relationship. However, 169 (39%) agreed information gained from the Internet had led to patients demanding inappropriate care or more complex treatment (135/31%). Having to take time to discuss Internet material was viewed as a burden by 93 practitioners. The potential of the Internet to widen inequalities in access to oral health information was agreed upon by one third of respondents. Concerns over the quality and reliability of Internet derived information, together with a lack of knowledge of appropriate sites, prevented dentists using the Internet as an oral health education resource. However, only 18.7% claimed never to use the Internet for their own Continuing Professional Development. Access for CPD purposes was mainly from home. Of those working in general practice, 54 had their own practice website, and a further 103 said this was something they were considering. Email was used to communicate with patients by 42 dentists, mainly to make appointments. Conclusions Views on the impact of the Internet were generally positive, but there is a long way to go before its full potential is realised.

Transitional entry onto GDC Register

Transitional entry onto GDC Register