HEE Midlands

Dental Technicians

This page of the HEE Midland and East website is for Dental Technicians. Since the implementation of Statutory Registration with the General Dental Council (GDC) for all Dental Care Professionals on 31 July 2008, it is essential that Dental Technicians have access to information which is relevant to their needs and thus ensures they are working within the GDC requirements.

Information is presented here which will help you keep up to date with the GDC requirements and help to support you in accessing the education and training you need to embark on the career pathway of a Dental Technician. If you are already qualified, there is information that will support you in fulfilling the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements ensuring you maintain your GDC registration.
 

Dental Technicians must complete 150 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) over a five-year period, 50 hours must be verifiable CPD and 100 hours non-verifiable CPD.

The GDC recommends that all Dentists and Dental Care Professionals carry out verifiable CPD in three recommended subjects as follows:

• Medical Emergencies (at least 10 hours per CPD cycle)
• Disinfection and Decontamination (at least 5 hours per CPD cycle)
• Radiography and Radiation Protection (at least 5 hours per CPD cycle)

It is recommended that all Dentists and DCPs undertake CPD in Medical Emergencies every year.

In addition, the GDC recommends that Dentists and DCPs working in a clinical environment carry out CPD (verifiable or general) to make sure they are up to date in:

• Legal & Ethical Issues
• Handing Complaints

Exceptions for Dental Technicians are that they can substitute Radiography and Radiation Protection with Materials and Equipment (at least 5 hours in every cycle) as their CPD, as the application of Radiography is not covered in the curriculum for Dental Technicians.

 

Pathways to Registration There are several pathways to Dental Technician registration; these all require the student Dental Technician to attend college or university on full or part-time courses with work-based learning in a dental laboratory. Qualification and registration in dental technology can only be achieved through approved GDC programmes of education. Therefore; it is recommended that potential students contact the training provider directly for further information and these can be found on the GDC website: Dental technology programmes and qualifications pages.

 

 

 

There are several organisations which can provide further information for Dental Technicians. Some of them are listed below.

 

 

Institute of Maxillofacial Prosthetists & Technologists
http://www.impt.org/default.php

Orthodontic Technicians Association
http://www.orthota.co.uk/

General Dental Council
http://www.gdc-uk.org/

Dental Technicians Association
http://www.dta-uk.org/