CPD and the GDC

It is easy to forget amongst the drama of COVID, that in 2018 the GDC created the enhanced CPD scheme.  This had some profound changes to the old requirements of verifiable and non-verifiable CPD.

The fundamental changes are listed below and they start with the increase for dentists of verifiable CPD in a 5 year cycle to 100 hours, dental nurses and dental technicians to 50 hours and all other DCPs to 75 hours.  There is now no need to declare non-verifiable CPD.

For dentists an annual declaration of CPD activity should be made before the end of December and for DCPs before the end of July on the eGDC website.  The website will also allow you to find out where you are in your 5 year cycle and guide each registrant on their specific cycle deadlines.

In summary the GDC require:

1. The requirement for professionals to plan CPD activity according to their individual ‘field of practice’
2. There are no compulsory CPD topics but your CPD should be mirrored to your specific ‘field of practice’, ie if you place implants or carry out sedation, these topics should be covered
3. Medical Emergencies, Radiology, Disinfection and Decontamination are GDC recommended topics which relate to most registrants
4. Other recommended topics are Legal and Ethical, Complaint Handling and Oral Cancer as well as Safeguarding of Vulnerable Adults, Children and Young People
5. All dental professionals are required to create a Personal Development Plan (PDP). This requires registrants to identify their learning needs and incorporate these and the recommended topics above into a yearly planned cycle.
6. Registrants should complete at least 10 hours every 2 years
7. Each CPD activity must have at least one of the GDC’s 4 development outcomes
8. The CPD record in your PDP should include a log of CPD activity with evidence of completion (certificate) and a reflective summary of its benefit to your practice

The annual statement made on the GDC website will ask you to declare 3 things:

1. The number of CPD hours you have done that year
2. That you have kept a CPD record (this includes a PDP, log of activity, documentary evidence and reflection on each activity)
3. That the activity you have done is relevant to your practice as a professional

This declaration must be made annually even if 0 hours have been completed that year.  Every year the GDC randomly requests evidence of some registrant’s PDP after the declaration is made.

NES will be running a webinar to help you create a PDP using the NES ePortfolio before the end of the year, so keep an eye out for the CPD email alerts.  Make sure your email address is up-to-date and you are not opted-out of marketing emails on Dental Portal.  Marketing emails are from NES giving information about up-and-coming events.  None are from external companies or adverts.