Croeso i Gaerdydd

Welcome to Cardiff

21 May 2010

www.gdc-uk.orgGENERAL DENTAL COUNCILwww.gdc-uk.org

The Distinctive Nature of Professionalism in Dentistry

Mary Dodd,

GDC Registrant Member.

www.gdc-uk.org

AimTo describe what the GDC expects of a registrant in order to ensure its professional requirements are met.

ObjectiveTo ensure registrants fully understand the obligations they must meet in order to stay on the GDC’s register.

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What is a professional?

Dictionary definition:

“The status of those who are highly trained and disciplined – that have the competence and correct demeanour to be members of a professional group.”

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You and the GDC

There are 3 elements to a dental professional’s relationship with the GDC.

•Entry on to a GDC register.•Staying on a GDC register.•Leaving a GDC register (voluntary or involuntary).

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Who’s on our Registers?

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Entry on to our Registers

Quality Assurance

The standards we expect dental professionals to have reached at the end of their education and training for registration are set out in two documents:

• Developing the Dental Team (interim for DCPs)• The First Five Years (interim for dentists)

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Staying on our Registers

•Annual Retention Fee.•Scope of Practice.•Standards for dental professionals.•Continuing Professional Development.•Indemnity.

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Annual Retention Fee

•All registrants must pay their ARF to remain registered and eligible for work. •The deadline for all DCPs to pay their ARF is 31 July each year.

•All DCPs will receive a reminder letter about this year’s fee by 24 May.

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Scope of Practice

• This guidance sets out the skills and abilities each registrant group should have.

• It also outlines the type of additional skills they might acquire during their career.

• Each registrant should use their professional judgment to decide if you are sufficiently trained and competent to do something. You should always bear in mind that you may have to justify your actions.

www.gdc-uk.org

Standards for Dental Professionals

There are six key principles in this booklet:

• Put patients’ interests first and act to protect them.

• Respect patients’ dignity and choices.• Protect the confidentiality of patients’ information.• Co-operate with other members of the dental team and other

healthcare colleagues in the interests of patients.• Maintain your professional knowledge and competence.• Be trustworthy.

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Continuing Professional Development for DCPs

• 150 hours over 5 years• Core recommended subjects(Medical emergencies, disinfection and decontamination andradiography and radiation protection*)

• 50 hours must be verifiable

*Dental technicians can substitute radiography and radiation with materials and equipment.

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Indemnity All GDC registrants must ensure there are arrangements in place so that patients can claim any compensation to which they may be entitled.

The only appropriate arrangements recognised by the GDC are:

• Membership of a defence organisation.(Dental Protection Limited, the Dental Defence Union or the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland (whether your own membership or that of your employer)

• Professional indemnity arranged by you or your employer.

• NHS/Crown indemnity.

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Being removed from our Registers

There are various ways in which you can be removed from the Registers, which include:

• Not paying your ARF on time.• Not completing your CPD by the end of the 5 year

cycle.• Asking to have your name voluntarily removed.• Erasure from the Register by one of the Practice

Committees.

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Cases assessed by FtP2007

23

703

13

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

DCPs Dentists Anonymous

2008

79

851

73

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

DCPs Dentists Anonymous

2009

162

1208

94

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

DCPs Dentists Anonymous

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2009 FtP, IC and Practice Committee totals

www.gdc-uk.org

1444

821

178

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

Fitness to Practise Investigating Committee Practice Committees

Making headlines

• “I’m a dental nurse and I hate

patients…”(GDC issues warning over use of Facebook)

• ‘Child porn’ dental technician erased.(GDC erases convicted sex offender)

• Dental nurse lies about convictions for theft.(GDC’s Professional Conduct Committee removes her from register)

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Things to look out for

• eGDC• Revalidation

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eGDC

• Contact Details.• Direct Debits.• Renewal Payments.• CPD.• Annual Practising Certificate.

www.gdc-uk.net/eGDC/

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Revalidation

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Contact us

• www.gdc-uk.org(There is a Welsh link on our website)

Or

• Call our Customer Advice and Information Team on 0845 222 4141, Monday to Friday 9am-5pm.

www.gdc-uk.org