General Dental Council processes almost 53,000 ARF payments

The General Dental Council has successfully processed the annual retention fee (ARF) payments of nearly 53,000 dental care professionals (DCPs) at the payment deadline of 31 July. 

During the fortnight before the deadline, we processed more than 2,000 payments a day. More than 93% of those who were on the register at the time of renewal have paid this year’s ARF.  

Just over 4,000 DCPs have been removed from the register for not paying the fee and 651 other DCPs specifically asked to be removed for reasons including taking a career break or retiring.

Letters informing registrants who have not paid their ARF that they are being removed from the register were sent out on 18 August. PCTs, Health Boards, Deaneries and indemnity providers have also been informed.

We’d like anyone who has any concerns about whether or not their payment has gone through to contact us on 0800 1777 965.

Ends

For media enquiries, please contact Edward Davies on 020 7009 2755 or edavies@gdc-uk.org

Editor’s notes 

• We expect to publish fully-updated and carefully verified figures at a later date. We already know a small number of dental care professionals have asked to be removed from the register. This could be because they are moving away from the profession, choosing to retire or take a career break.
• The deadline for DCPs to pay their ARF is 31 July each year.
• The DCP fee was £96 this year – the same as last.
• The deadline for dentists to pay their ARF remains 31 December each year.