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Enhanced CPD scheme 2018

The Enhanced CPD Scheme 2018 was introduced on 1 January 2018 for dentists and 1 August 2018 for dental care professionals (DCPs). Please take the time to read and become familiar with the requirements of the Enhanced CPD Scheme.

Please find the Guidance and the rules for the scheme below. The Guidance includes our definition of verifiable CPD.

Enhanced CPD Scheme 2018 Guidance (updated: 30 May 2018)

The GDC (CPD) (Dentists and DCPs) Rules Order of Council 2017

Under the Enhanced CPD Scheme 2018 dentists need to complete a minimum of 100 hours of verifiable CPD every five years. You must also ensure that you complete at least 10 hours of verifiable CPD during any two-year period.

Under the Enhanced CPD Scheme 2018 dental nurses and dental technicians need to complete a minimum of 50 hours of verifiable CPD every five years. Dental therapists, dental hygienists, orthodontic therapists and clinical dental technicians need to complete a minimum of 75 hours of verifiable CPD. You must also ensure that you complete at least 10 hours of verifiable CPD during any two-year period.

As a dental professional, you will need to complete a minimum of 10 hours of verifiable CPD every two consecutive years. You can go a year without completing any CPD, but if this is the case, you need to complete 10 hours of CPD in either the previous year, or the year that follows.

Even if you have not completed any CPD hours in any given year, you still need to make an annual CPD statement. In these circumstances, please submit a zero hours CPD statement.

Image showing how to complete ten hours of CPD over two years

Visit the relevant page for information on recording and submitting your CPD.

You will find below a number of sample documents and templates developed to help you to meet the new requirements of the Enhanced CPD Scheme 2018.

You will need to keep a log of all verifiable CPD undertaken. We have developed an activity log template that covers the minimum requirements to help you.

You will need to produce a personal development plan (PDP). We have developed a PDP template that covers the minimum requirements. We have also produced PDP examples to show how to utilise your PDP depending on your title, roles and the patients you see.

To demonstrate that your CPD activity was verifiable, you will need to retain a CPD certificate that meets the requirements of the Scheme. We have produced a sample CPD certificate to demonstrate the requirements. CPD course providers can also use this sample as guidance for developing their own certificates. (Please note that verifiable CPD completed under the CPD Scheme 2008-2017 will continue to be accepted for CPD completed before 2018, but the record requirements for verifiable CPD differ. See the CPD Scheme 2008-2017 Guidance for further information.)

For CPD to count as verifiable, it must comply with our verifiable CPD requirements. If your foundation or vocational provider, or your CPD provider, is unable to provide certificated evidence, in line with the requirements for verifiable CPD, you might be able to use the verifiable CPD mapping document.

The Enhanced CPD Scheme was introduced in 2018 for all dental professionals. The main changes introduced were:

  • The need to have a personal development plan (PDP).
  • An increase in the number of verifiable hours for most professional titles, and the requirements to spread the hours across the five-year CPD cycle (see above).
  • Removal of the need to declare non-verifiable CPD, although you are encouraged to continue to engage with non-verifiable CPD (e.g. reading a journal relevant to your field of practice) if it contributes to your PDP.
  • The need to make an annual statement of CPD hours completed, even if you have not completed any CPD during the year (i.e. you need to make a zero hours statement).
  • The need to align CPD activity with a GDC development or learning outcome(s) (see below).
  • The need to plan CPD activity according to your field(s) of practice.

Development outcomes

The four development outcomes encourage you to link your learning activity more closely to the standards for the dental team, and support you to embed the principles further in your working life. As stated in the CPD rules, you must link each of your planned and completed activities to at least one development outcome. CPD providers must also give an indication of the anticipated learning outcome(s) in the evidence they provide to participants.

Development outcomesExample of CPD content

A

Effective communication with patients, the dental team and others across dentistry, including when obtaining consent, dealing with complaints, and raising concerns when patients are at risk.
  • Communication skills.
  • Consent.
  • Complaints handling.
  • Raising concerns.
  • Safeguarding.

B

Effective management of self and effective management of others or effective work with others in the dental team, in the interests of patients, providing constructive leadership where appropriate.
  • Effective practice management.
  • Business management.
  • Team working.
  • Leadership skills.

C

Maintenance and development of knowledge and skill within your field(s) of practice.
  • Clinical and technical areas of study.
  • Radiography.
  • Cross infection control.
  • Medical emergencies and CPR.
  • Emerging technologies and treatments.
  • CPD specific for your daily role(s).
  • Upskilling opportunities.

D

Maintenance of skills, behaviours and attitudes which maintain patient confidence in you and the dental profession and put patients’ interests first.
  • Ethical and legal issues and developments.
  • Professional behaviours.
  • Equality and diversity training.

 

CPD enquiries

Further information on recording and submitting CPD is also available, along with recommended topics for CPD.

If you have any questions about the Enhanced CPD Scheme 2018, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) below. Or, if your question is personal to your circumstances, please get in touch using the contact us form.

If your question is about transition, please check the section CPD cycles spanning both schemes. Please also note that your eGDC account will include personalised information on the number of CPD hours you will need to complete during your current CPD cycle.

 

Guidance for providers of CPD courses and activities

We have also created CPD Provider Guidance for providers of courses and activities.

Frequently asked questions

At the end of your five-year cycle you should have completed the minimum CPD requirement. If you are coming to the end of your CPD cycle and discover that you will not be able to meet the minimum CPD requirement, you can request a period of grace. We will only grant a request for a grace period when you satisfy us there is an exceptional circumstance, or good reason to do so.
 
You can submit a request in writing no earlier than six months before the end of your CPD cycle. The Enhanced CPD Scheme grace rules also apply to you if your current CPD cycle is spanning both schemes i.e. you are in transition.
 
If your grace request is granted, you will have an additional 56 days after the end of the CPD cycle to comply with your CPD requirement.
 
Please note that temporary registrants are not able to apply for a grace period.
 
For any further queries regarding a period of grace, please get in touch using the contact us form. Or if making a request by post, please address it to: GDC, One Colmore Square, Birmingham, B4 6AJ. 
Yes, if they meet the GDC’s requirements for verifiable CPD. The requirements for verifiable CPD are set out in Enhanced CPD Scheme 2018 Guidance 
If your auditor or reviewer is unable to provide certificated evidence, in line with the requirements for verifiable CPD, you might be able use the Verifiable CPD Mapping Document
There is no requirement to inform the GDC of any non-verifiable CPD completed under the Enhanced CPD Scheme 2018. 
 
However, if your current CPD cycle is spanning both schemes you will be required to declare a pro rata amount of non-verifiable CPD, for the years that were subject to the CPD Scheme 2008-2017. 
 
Please also note that your eGDC account will include personalised information on the number of CPD hours you will need to complete during your current CPD cycle.
The CPD activities you do must be relevant to your practice or intended practice, including when this is across more than one title. You must do the minimum amount of CPD for the title that requires the higher number of hours. 
 
Under the Enhanced CPD Scheme 2018, if you are registered as a dental nurse and dental hygienist, you will need to complete the minimum hours for a dental hygienist (75 hours). Under the CPD Scheme 2008-2017, if you are registered under more than one DCP title, you must do a minimum of 150 hours (min 50 verifiable).
 
If you are registered as both a dentist and a DCP you will have two separate CPD cycles and need to complete 100 hours CPD. You will need to comply with CPD requirements for both professions. However, any CPD you undertake can be counted towards both your dentist and DCP cycle. Under the CPD Scheme 2008-2017, you must complete the requirement for a dentist, that is, a minimum of 250 hours CPD (minimum of 75 hours verifiable CPD).
All documentary evidence for verifiable CPD should be issued and completed in full by the organisation or provider of the CPD. We would not expect any registrant to create or complete their own documentary evidence, including certificates of attendance. 
 
It is your responsibility as a dental professional to obtain the necessary documentary evidence from your CPD providers. Before taking part in any CPD activity, you should check with the provider that the documentary evidence they provide, meets with our requirements for verifiable CPD. 
 
This provides the necessary evidence to demonstrate that you participated in the CPD activity and that it met all aspects of the criteria required for verifiable CPD.    
 
The CPD provider can choose to provide evidence in printed or handwritten form. However, we must be satisfied of the accuracy and authenticity of the CPD documentary evidence submitted to us, and we may ask you for additional information to confirm the CPD you have declared. Where we are not satisfied with the documentary evidence you have provided, we may refuse to accept it, which may mean you are not compliant with our CPD requirements. 
CPD providers need to provide the information listed below, as part of the evidence of completion, to those who have participated and completed a CPD activity. These details demonstrate to us that the CPD activity is verifiable:
 
  • The CPD subject, learning content, aims, and objectives.
  • The anticipated GDC development outcome(s) of the CPD.
  • The date that the CPD was undertaken.
  • The total number of hours CPD undertaken.
  • The name of the practitioner who participated in the CPD activity.
  • Confirmation that the CPD provided has been quality assured, including the name of the person or body responsible for completing quality assurance.
  • Confirmation that the information is complete and accurate.
  • It should also include the participant’s registration number.
Information about CPD activities can be obtained from the postgraduate dental deanery for your region or country, or from the relevant professional membership body or society. 
 
The GDC does not place any restriction on CPD being obtained ‘face-to-face’ and accepts CPD undertaken through a variety of methods.