The General Dental Council annual retention fee (ARF) collection is underway. Payment is due by the end of the year.

This year’s fee is £409 for dentists and £68 for dental hygienists and dental therapists. Reminder letters have gone out to all dentists on the Dentists Register and all dental hygienists and therapists on the Rolls of Dental Auxiliaries. They have until 31 December to make their payment and retain their name on the GDC’s registers for 2006.

The £409 fee for dentists is an increase of £13 (3.2%) on last year. The GDC works hard to contain costs and, although dealing with an increasing workload, has been able to keep this year’s fee increase to a minimum. By increasing the fee now, the GDC hopes that the sharp increases of the past can be avoided in the future.

The fee for dental hygienists and therapists remains unchanged again this year. Although the GDC can now set the fee levels for dentists itself, changes to the fees for dental hygienists and dental therapists still require approval of both Houses of Parliament. The GDC decided not to seek an increase to the fees for these groups of registrants this year because of the impracticability of securing parliamentary time to get the changes made. When the new register for dental care professionals (DCPs) opens next year, the GDC will be able to set all fees without parliamentary approval. At that stage, the GDC will need to take into account the fact that fees for dental hygienists and therapists have remained the same while dentists’ fees have increased.

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Notes to editors:

1. More information about the ARF collection, including payment methods, can be found on the GDC website.

2. Non-payment of the ARF by the deadline will lead to erasure from the Dentists Register or Rolls of Dental Auxiliaries. It could also mean criminal prosecution for anyone who continues to practise after being erased. To get back on the Register or Rolls after erasure for non-payment, an additional restoration fee has to be paid as well as the original annual retention fee. It is in registrants’ interests to ensure they make their payment on time.

3. In line with the GDC’s view that all dentists should pay the same for their licence to practise, there are no fee discounts for particular groups of dentists, including over 65s and those on the NHS “Keeping in Touch” scheme.

4. Retention, first registration and restoration fees for 2006 are: