The General Dental Council (GDC) has confirmed the registration fee levels for 2007.  The fees for 2007 will be:

The new levels will mean a below inflation annual retention fee (ARF) increase of £11 (2.7 per cent) for dentists.

The ARF for dental hygienists and dental therapists is going up for the first time in three years with an increase of £4 (5.9 per cent). Although hygienists and therapists are seeing a bigger percentage increase in their fee this year than dentists, dentists have seen a moderate increase in their ARF over the last few years while hygienists and therapists fees have remained the same. This was because of the difficulty in securing parliamentary time for fee approval (dentists’ fee levels only needed to be approved by the Privy Council). From this year, the GDC can set its own fee levels for all dental professional groups. The £72 ARF for dental hygienists and dental therapists is the same rate as the initial registration fee for all dental care professionals, implemented in July for the opening of the new DCP register.

GDC President Hew Mathewson said:

“The GDC is funded entirely by registrants’ fees.  The Council’s financial objective remains to ensure that its resources are used economically and efficiently and therefore the Council is taking a prudent approach in agreeing these fee increases.  The small increases will enable us to ensure that adequate resources are available to finance the increased demands placed upon the Council’s existing functions.”

The GDC will be sending ARF reminders to all registered dentists, dental hygienists and dental therapists in November.

The GDC has agreed to introduce an ARF from 2008 for inclusion on the Specialist Lists.  This fee will be set at £50 per Specialist List entry.  In addition, the first registration fee for inclusion on the Specialist Lists will be extended to all specialities from 2008, currently this is only applicable to the oral surgery and orthodontics lists.

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For media enquiries, please contact Rachel Lea on 020 7009 2782.

Notes to Editors

1. Current registration fees are:

2. The annual retention fee (ARF) is the fee all dentists and dental care professionals must pay each year to remain on the Dentists Register or DCP Register.  Further information on the ARF, including frequently asked questions for registrants, is available on this website.

3. Fees for DCPs will be reviewed in June 2007.  The retention fees for dental hygienists, dental therapists, clinical dental technicians and orthodontic therapists will be due on 31 December each year. However, dental nurses and dental technicians who register with the GDC for the first time between 31 July 2006 and 30 July 2008 (i.e. before registration is compulsory for these groups) will not have to start paying an ARF until 31 July 2009.

4. *Temporary registration fees pay for 365 days.  The dentist would only need to renew temporary registration after all 365 days have been used up.  Further information about temporary registration is available on this website.

5. ** The first registration fee is based on the ARF fee and is charged pro rata throughout the year depending on the month in which the applicant applies. Except in the case of dental nurses and dental technicians whose first registration fee will cover them until July 2009 when they will need to pay their first ARF.

6. ***The restoration fee is in addition to the retention fee.  The restoration fee does not apply for temporary registration.

7. Once a dentist is registered with the GDC, they may apply for entry onto one of the Specialist Lists.  The Specialist Lists indicate registered dentists who meet certain conditions and are entitled to use a specialist title.  A dentist does not have to be entered onto a Specialist List to carry out the practice of any particular specialty; but may only use the title ‘specialist’ if they are on a list.  Further information on the Specialist Lists is available on this website.

8. Until 31 December 2003 the GDC charged an ARF for the Oral Surgery and Orthodontics Specialist Lists.  The Council could not by law charge an ARF for any other Specialist Lists. The Council decided to suspend charging a retention fee to these two groups and to review this when the Council obtained the legal power to charge all specialists.  The Council received these powers in July 2006.

9. Previously the GDC has had to seek Privy Council approval for increases to dentists’ fees and approval from both Houses of Parliament to fees for DCPs, these levels of approval are no longer required  The GDC is now required to pass a resolution in order to be able to charge the new approved rates.  The resolution was passed at the Council meeting on 12 September 2006.