GDC registration and your work

Patient safety is at the centre of our work. As a dental professional, we expect you to meet certain standards and expectations in order to get on and stay on our registers.

What it means to be a registered professional

• Uphold and follow our standards and 
additional guidance such as Scope of Practice,
• Pay your annual retention fees on time,
• Maintain your continuing professional development (CPD),
• Understand your professional indemnity responsibilities,
• Keep your GDC registration details up-to-date,
• Report breaches of standards (which could lead to fitness
  to practise cases), and
• Keep up-to-date with the latest news.

We can take action if you do not meet expectations.

Apply for registration

If you would like to register with us you will first need to check you are able to apply for registration, if your qualifications need to be individually assessed, or if you will need to pass the overseas registration exam before you can register.

If you qualified overseas, you may find our advice sheet helpful.

Working as a dentist or DCP in the UK during the London 2012 Olympics

In order to practise in the UK, even for a short period of time, a dentist or DCP needs to be registered with us.

We do not have any temporary or special arrangements in place for non-UK registered dentists or DCPs who wish to work in the UK during the London 2012 Olympics. If you are a GDC registered dentist or DCP and are interested in volunteering to work at the Olympics, you should send a brief expression of interest to Tony Clough, the London Organising Committee (LOCOG) Clinical Dental Lead.

Dental education

Find out about the UK courses we inspect and qualifications we accept for registration, or learn more about working as a trainee.

Specialist lists

If you are already registered as a dentist with us, you may also wish to join our Specialist lists. This helps patients with particular needs find you, and assists other dental professionals when they need to refer a patient for treatment.

Other organisations 

The GDC is one of several organisations which works within healthcare and produces helpful guidance and information.

• Dental Complaints Service - a free service funded by the GDC to help resolve complaints about private treatment

• HSE - the Health and Safety Executive
• Resuscitation Council UK produces guidelines for dental professionals 
• Care Quality Commission is the independent regulator of health and social care in England which registers all providers of dental treatment in England
• Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority registers providers of private dental treatment in Northern Ireland
• Health Inspectorate Wales is the independent inspectorate and regulator of all healthcare in Wales
• Health Improvement Scotland has responsibility for the regulation of independent healthcare services in Scotland, previously the responsibility of the Care Commission.