eGDCGeneral Dental Council publishes Annual Report and Accounts 2024
We have today published our Annual Report and Accounts for 2024, showing a record registration performance and improvements to fitness to practise (FtP) processes.
We processed a record 12,978 applications, up from 11,476 in 2023, resulting in 2,164 new dentists and 9,728 new dental care professionals joining the register. We also launched a refreshed set of values, aspiring to be respectful, transparent, inclusive and purposeful.
Key developments in 2024 included:
Enhanced workforce insights: Over 24,000 dentists (55%) and 44,000 DCPs (58%) provided working patterns data to inform the debate about the dental workforce.
Improved access to the Overseas Registration Examination (ORE): Increased capacity of Part One examinations by 50%, and Part Two by 33%, compared to 2023. Other improvements included the development of a new policy that gives priority access to the ORE booking system for dental professionals with refugee status.
FtP improvements: We reduced casework queues and cleared the backlog from 2023. Adopting a new way of investigating single-patient clinical concerns halved the average time to assess the concern from 30 weeks to 15 weeks.
Sector leadership: We used our convening role to bring the sector together to highlight the challenges facing patients and the professions through three Dental Leadership Network events. We attended over 400 stakeholder meetings, six industry events and launched a programme for our Chief Executive to visit dental settings and listen to the issues and challenges facing dental professionals.
The report highlights the GDC’s desire to improve our digital capability and improve the experience for dental professionals accessing online services such as registration and renewal.
Lord Toby Harris, Chair of the GDC, and Tom Whiting, Chief Executive at the GDC, said:
“2025 will see updated guidance on the Standards for Education and Scope of Practice, both after extensive and invaluable stakeholder engagement. We will be bold in our plans to improve fitness to practise, improving guidance on decision making to ensure fairness and consistency, providing more support for dental professionals, through training our staff and signposting to help, and looking to address and reduce fear.”
We met 16 of 18 Professional Standards Authority (PSA) Standards of Good Regulation, achieving the standards in registration, and updated our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy in 2024. The consultation on the GDC’s new Corporate Strategy 2026-2028 closes on 21 August.