CPD courses for Dentists

A guide to CPD for Dentists

Technology and standards in dentistry are ever-evolving. Therefore, dentists need to keep abreast with the latest developments and legislation to ensure their knowledge and skills are current to provide high-quality patient care. Dentists must also be competent, which means having a combination of relevant training, knowledge, skills and experience. Regular CPD training is a vital part of achieving competency in dentistry.

With more dentists providing private care to patients, it can be competitive. Dentists with the latest technologies and treatments and the highest standards will likely have more patients on their books than those who do not. Overall, undertaking regular CPD can help make a dental practice more profitable and give patients the confidence that their dentist is interested in their care.

The GDC makes CPD a mandatory requirement for all dental practitioners. To comply, dentists need to meet the CPD hours requirement, keep a CPD record and make an annual statement. They also need to keep a personal development plan (PDP). The requirements are detailed in the GDC’s enhanced CPD scheme 2018. 

CPD courses

Many things count towards your CPD, and they should be relevant to you and your goals as a dentist. For example, you can attend seminars/lectures/webinars, read books/journals and undertake hands-on clinical workshops/peer reviews/work-based learning. You can also complete our e-learning courses, which can also count as part of your CPD.

Our e-learning courses are CPD certified and accredited under the CPD Certification Service. When you complete your course, you will gain an accredited qualification and CPD points (hours). The more training courses you undertake, the more knowledge and CPD points you will achieve.

We have different levels of courses for some areas, e.g. safeguarding levels 2 and 3. If you are looking for more in-depth knowledge on a topic, then a level 3 course would probably be more suited to your needs.

To make the most out of your learning, you should adopt a structured and consistent approach to your CPD by undertaking training that meets your personal development needs as a dentist.

CPD certificates

Once logged in, you can work through your course in a few hours (depending on the type), and there is no time limit for completion. You can work through it at your own pace at a location of your choice. Very rarely do students need help, but if you do, our staff are here to assist.

After completion of your course, including passing the quiz, you can download your PDF certificate immediately. Our professional-looking certificates are fully CPD regulated. They can provide evidence of training to enforcement authorities (e.g. the Care Quality Commission), the GDC and prospective employers.

You can log onto your account at any time and download your certificates. You can keep them on file or email them through to others who require evidence. It is also easy to print off a hard copy of your certificate and keep it with your other qualifications and awards in your CPD portfolio. You will also receive a copy of your certificate in the post.

Logging CPD hours

The GDC requires all dentists to complete a minimum of 100 hours of verifiable CPD over a five-year cycle. They must undertake CPD regularly, at least 10 hours every two years, and registrants cannot make a declaration of zero hours of CPD in two consecutive years. Only verifiable CPD has to be submitted, and how to meet the requirements are detailed in the GDC’s enhanced CPD scheme 2018.

Every course that is CPD accredited will have a number of points assigned to it. One CPD point is equal to one hour of active learning, which means that you will get one point for every hour you spend on a CPD activity.

The number of points you will earn on completion of the course is in the course description, along with an estimated time to complete. This will give you your CPD hours.

You must keep a log of your CPD hours for the year and make a record of whether you have met your learning objectives. It is important to maintain an accurate CPD record as part of your CPD portfolio and personal development plan.

Logging CPD hours and keeping training records is not only compulsory, but it will also have a positive impact on your overall career in dentistry and help you provide better patient care.

Keeping evidence

The GDC requires dentists to keep a CPD record as part of maintaining their registration.

Your CPD record must include:

• Your personal development plan (PDP);
• Your log of completed activity;
• Evidence collected from each activity, e.g. certificates, and;
• An element of reflection.

 

The requirements for keeping a CPD record are detailed in the GDC’s enhanced CPD scheme 2018.

There is not a prescribed format when recording your CPD. However, the GDC does require the inclusion of specific information. They have templates and examples on their website that can help you complete your CPD record

The GDC does carry out audits on CPD records, which requires documentary CPD evidence to be sent to them. Therefore, it is vital to follow the requirements of the GDC and keep up to date evidence of your CPD.

Renewing CPD certificates

It is recommended that you renew your CPD certificate every two years. However, you may be required to complete a refresher every year. This will depend on your work setting and what your role entails.

Refresher training also counts towards your CPD. Therefore, you can log CPD hours for every course you undertake, including those taken as a refresher.