CPD for dental professionals in teaching and research

This advice sheet is designed to assist dentists and DCPs working in these areas to plan how they will meet the CPD requirements.

I'm involved in educational provision in dentistry. In terms of the minimum hours requirements of CPD…

What is the Council going to accept as CPD activity submitted for audit?

Firstly, it is likely that most dental professionals in your circumstances are going to be completing more CPD activity, both verifiable and general, than is required. The requirements are minima.

The Council's policy is that the responsibility to choose useful CPD lies with the individual and it will only challenge CPD activity which is not within the spirit of the mission of Lifelong Learning.

Can I record as CPD time spent for which I get paid, or receive recompense?

The Council does not distinguish between CPD activities undertaken for gain, as employment, or otherwise.

Do I have to acquire new knowledge before I can count an activity as CPD?

No, you can also count activities which usefully update your existing knowledge or skills. In an education and training context, the development of new educational or training material which involves new learning or broadens existing understanding on your part can be counted as CPD.

Whether you can record it as verifiable or general CPD will depend on whether it meets the Council's criteria for verifiable CPD.

To count as verifiable CPD, an activity must have:

1. Concise educational aims and objectives;
2. Clear anticipated outcomes;
3. Quality controls (i.e. you should be given the opportunity to give feedback); and
4. You must obtain and keep documentary proof (e.g. a certificate) of your attendance/participation from an appropriate third party

What about the time I spend delivering education and training, say in my teaching?

Whilst the preparation of learning materials involving new learning or the extension of existing understanding on your part could count as CPD, the time spent presenting the outcome of that learning, perhaps a lecture or the publication process, would not, in most circumstances, count as CPD.

What about the time I spend on research?

Research workers should only count their work as CPD where elements of the research extend their knowledge and understanding. This essentially means "new knowledge to you", or knowledge revisited in a significant way. Routine research tasks, which may lead to that knowledge and understanding, would not, ordinarily, count as CPD. Again, presentation of the results of the research would not, in most cases, qualify as continuing the professional development of the individual.

What about any time I spend as part of an examination process?

Routine processes undertaken in the role of examiner (or a participant in a similar assessment process) would not normally constitute CPD. However, examinations work may count as CPD where elements of it extend your knowledge and understanding, either through you acquiring new knowledge, or revisiting existing knowledge in a significant way.

In each of these questions, and in all instances in deciding whether to count activity as CPD, the critical question must be "Does this particular component of the overall activity contribute to my continuing professional development?".