The first continuing professional development (CPD) cycle for dentists is about to end. Dentists in this cycle (2002-2006) will be asked to make their final annual declaration at the beginning of next year.  Dentists who have not completed their CPD requirements face removal from the register.

Once the annual declarations have been returned, the GDC will contact a random sample of dentists who have completed their first five-year cycle, asking them to send in records of their verifiable CPD activities for the previous five years.

With the end of their first cycle less than a month away, all dentists who joined the CPD scheme in 2002 must make sure that they are on track to meet the required number of CPD hours.

GDC Chief Executive and Registrar Duncan Rudkin commented:

“Dentists must make sure that their CPD records are complete, and be ready to be audited by the GDC. Dentists who cannot show they have met the CPD requirements by the end of 2006 will be removed from the GDC register.”

Dentists who require more information regarding CPD should contact the GDC on 020 7887 3800 or at gdcregistration@gdc-uk.org. Further information is available on the GDC website: www.gdc-uk.org/Current+registrant/CPD+requirements/

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For media enquiries, please contact Alexander Wells on 020 7009 2746.

Notes to editors:

1. The GDC’s compulsory CPD scheme was introduced in January 2002 to encourage dentists to update and develop their skills and knowledge for the benefit of patients and the profession. Under the scheme, all dentists must complete 250 hours of CPD every five years. At least 75 of these hours must be spent on verifiable CPD, and documentary evidence of these activities must be kept.
2. Every year the GDC writes to all dentists in the CPD scheme to ask them to make a declaration of the number of hours they have spent on CPD.
3. The CPD scheme was rolled out to all dentists in three phases. The table below shows when dentists will complete their first CPD cycle if you are already a registered dentist.