CPD courses for dentists and dental nurses have to do three things for the GDC: be verifiable, be relevant to your field of practice, and link to at least one of the GDC's four development outcomes. The GDC's CPD scheme asks dentists for 100 verifiable hours in each five-year cycle, dental nurses and dental technicians for 50, and dental therapists, hygienists, orthodontic therapists and clinical dental technicians for 75, with at least 10 hours in every two-year period. This guide sets out the rules from the GDC's own pages, the topics the GDC recommends CPD in, what your certificate must show for an online course to count, and how the same course is used when a complaint or investigation has been opened. Our courses for the dental team are £79 (£50 with Bulk Buy 10) for 2 CPD hours each, online and self-paced, with a dated certificate, and Probity & Ethics is CPD certified by The CPD Certification Service.
Facing a GDC concern?
A patient complaint, an employer investigation or a referral to the GDC has raised a question about your consent process, your records, your conduct or a boundary with a patient or a colleague. You need to show insight and the steps you have taken, before a decision is made. The courses below are written for that response.
Collecting GDC CPD?
You want verifiable hours on legal and ethical issues, complaints handling, consent or record keeping, with a certificate that shows what the GDC asks for, to log in your activity log and link to a development outcome. This guide covers both.
In short
- Verifiable hours a cycle: dentists 100; dental therapists, hygienists, orthodontic therapists and clinical dental technicians 75; dental nurses and dental technicians 50; temporary registrants 20. At least 10 hours in any two consecutive years.
- Online CPD counts when it is verifiable: the GDC says it places no restrictions on the way CPD is delivered, and asks for a certificate that shows the subject, aims, development outcomes, date, hours, your name and quality assurance.
- The GDC recommends CPD in legal and ethical issues and complaints handling, alongside medical emergencies, decontamination and radiography.
- After a concern, the same course is one of the steps you can show, with your reflection, which the GDC says you may offer as evidence of insight.
The GDC's CPD hours by title
The GDC says CPD "is a compulsory part of GDC registration" and that not meeting the minimum requirements "can put your ability to practise dentistry at risk". The current scheme took effect in 2018. The minimum number of verifiable hours in each five-year cycle depends on your registered title; if you hold more than one title, you complete the higher number.
| Registered title | Verifiable CPD hours in each five-year cycle | CPD year |
|---|---|---|
| Dentists | 100 hours | 1 January to 31 December; statement by 28 January |
| Dental therapists, dental hygienists, orthodontic therapists and clinical dental technicians | 75 hours | 1 August to 31 July; statement by 28 August |
| Dental nurses and dental technicians | 50 hours | 1 August to 31 July; statement by 28 August |
| Temporary registrants (dentists) | 20 hours | As directed |
Two further time rules apply to everyone. You must complete at least 10 hours of verifiable CPD in every consecutive two-year period, including across the end of one cycle and the start of the next, so a year with no CPD must be followed or preceded by a year with at least 10 hours. And you must finish your hours before the end of the cycle; if you cannot, you can ask the GDC for a grace period of up to 56 days, within the final six months of the cycle and with a good reason. The GDC says a registrant who does not meet the minimum requirements, or does not make an annual CPD statement, may be removed from the register by the Registrar, after a further chance to show compliance and with a right of appeal.
The other rules: statements, records and development outcomes
Hours are only part of the scheme. To comply, the GDC's CPD scheme page says you also need to:
- make a CPD statement at every annual renewal, an annual statement mid-cycle or an end of cycle statement, even if you did no CPD that year (record zero hours);
- keep your CPD relevant to your field or fields of practice;
- maintain a personal development plan, and an activity log of the CPD you complete;
- link each activity to at least one development outcome; and
- keep the evidence: a certificate, a mapping document or an email from the provider for every verifiable activity, retained for five years after the end of the cycle.
The four development outcomes are the link between your CPD and the GDC's principles of professionalism and standards for the dental team:
| Outcome | What the GDC says it covers | CPD subjects that fit it |
|---|---|---|
| A | "Effective communication with patients, the dental team and others across dentistry, including when obtaining consent, dealing with complaints, and raising concerns when patients are at risk." | Consent, complaints handling, communication, candour, raising concerns |
| B | "Effective management of self and effective management of others or effective work with others in the dental team, in the interests of patients providing constructive leadership where appropriate." | Teamwork, professionalism, boundaries with colleagues |
| C | "Maintenance and development of your knowledge and skills within your field(s) of practice." | Clinical topics, record keeping, prescribing |
| D | "Maintenance of skills, behaviours and attitudes which maintain patient confidence in you and the dental professions and put patients' interests first." | Ethics, professionalism, probity, confidentiality, boundaries with patients |
You choose the outcome when you plan the activity and record it in your log; the GDC also asks providers to state in their evidence which outcomes an activity satisfies. The GDC's record-keeping page adds a point about reflection: you are asked to reflect on the CPD you complete and record your reflections in your activity log. "We will not ask you to provide your personal written reflections if we need to investigate a concern raised about you. You may choose to offer them as evidence of insight into your practice."
Recommended topics, and where ethics and professionalism fit
The GDC does not set compulsory subjects, but it publishes a list of topics it recommends CPD in, "because regularly refreshing your knowledge and skills in these areas will contribute to improved performance and patient safety". Three are highly recommended with suggested hours:
- Medical emergencies: at least 10 hours in each cycle, and at least two hours every year.
- Disinfection and decontamination: at least five hours in each cycle.
- Radiography and radiation protection: at least five hours in each cycle if you undertake radiography; for dental technicians, materials and equipment instead.
The GDC also recommends CPD in legal and ethical issues, complaints handling, early detection of oral cancer and safeguarding. Courses on ethics, professionalism, consent, confidentiality, record keeping and the duty of candour are the legal and ethical issues and complaints handling part of a dental professional's plan, and they are the part a GDC concern is written against. Our guide to the GDC Standards for the Dental Team sets out the nine principles those courses are built on.
Which online courses count: the evidence the GDC asks for
The GDC says: "We do not provide CPD and we do not place any restrictions on the way CPD is delivered." An online, self-paced course counts for the same hours as a lecture or a workshop, provided it is verifiable. You are responsible for getting the evidence from the provider, and the GDC advises checking before you start that the provider can supply it. The certificate, mapping document or email must show:
- the CPD subject, learning content, aims and objectives;
- the anticipated GDC development outcome or outcomes delivered by the activity;
- the date the CPD was done;
- the total number of CPD hours;
- the name of the person who participated;
- confirmation that the CPD has been quality assured, including the name of the person or body responsible; and
- confirmation that the information is full and accurate.
The GDC may ask for more information to confirm the CPD you declare, and may refuse to accept evidence it is not satisfied is accurate and authentic. Two things do not count: delivering CPD to others, because it uses knowledge and skills you already have, and tasks you carry out as part of your normal professional role. When you log your total for the year, use whole hours, rounding the total (not each certificate) to the nearest hour.
"Check that your CPD provider can give you the evidence you need for verifiable CPD before taking part."
GDC, Recording and submitting CPD
Using a CPD course after a GDC complaint or investigation
The second reason dental professionals look for these courses is a concern. The situations that bring people to them include:
- A complaint about consent or costA patient says they did not understand the options, the risks or the price, or believed treatment was on the NHS.
- A records concernNotes that were incomplete, a radiograph or medical history not recorded, or an entry made or changed later.
- A conduct or honesty concernAn inaccurate claim in advertising, an invoice or a form, or a review reply that disclosed patient information.
- A boundary concernA boundary crossed with a patient or a colleague, in person or online.
- A complaint handled badlyDelay, defensiveness or a reply that argued rather than listened, which the GDC's Standards treat as a professional matter in its own right.
A course does not decide a case, and no course can promise an outcome. What it gives you is a dated record that you have gone back to the standard the concern engages, and material for the reflection the GDC says you may offer as evidence of insight. Complete the course before you reply, keep the certificate and the course outline with your reflection, and describe what you now do differently with examples from your own practice. Take advice from your indemnity provider or defence organisation on what to send and when. Our guides to a GDC referral and dental nurse fitness to practise set out each stage of the process.
Record it for both
A course taken because of a concern is still verifiable CPD. Log it in your activity log with the development outcome it relates to, keep the certificate for five years after the end of the cycle, and include it in your CPD statement at renewal.
Our CPD courses for the dental team
Each course is written for dentists, dental nurses, hygienists, therapists, technicians, clinical dental technicians and orthodontic therapists facing a GDC complaint, investigation or Practice Committee hearing, and for the same professionals adding verifiable CPD on legal and ethical issues. Each is online and self-paced, with instant access and a certificate on completion that records the course title, the CPD hours and the date, and Probity & Ethics is CPD certified by The CPD Certification Service.
Written to Standards for the Dental Team
Ethics and Ethical Standards for Dentists and Dental Professionals
Consent and cost, treatment planning, honesty and candour, confidentiality, complaints handling, boundaries with a patient or a colleague, and record keeping, each tied to the GDC principle it comes from.
- £79 (£50 with Bulk Buy 10)
- 2 CPD hours
- Certificate on completion
Courses that work alongside them
For a practice, the Bulk Buy offer is any 3 courses for £200, 5 for £300 or 10 for £500, so a dental team can cover its legal and ethical issues CPD in one order. See every course for the dental team on our GDC page.
See every course for your register:
- DoctorsGMC
- Nurses and midwivesNMC
- Dental teamGDC
- PharmacistsGPhC
- HCPC professionsHCPC
- Optometrists and dispensing opticiansGOC
- ChiropractorsGCC
- OsteopathsGOsC
- Social workersSocial Work England
Related guides: CPD courses for nurses in the UK, record keeping course for healthcare professionals and professionalism course for healthcare professionals.
Frequently asked questions
How many CPD hours do dentists and dental nurses need for the GDC?
The GDC's CPD scheme asks for a minimum number of verifiable CPD hours in each five-year cycle: 100 hours for dentists; 75 hours for dental therapists, dental hygienists, orthodontic therapists and clinical dental technicians; 50 hours for dental nurses and dental technicians; and 20 hours for temporary registrants. You must also complete at least 10 hours in every consecutive two-year period and make a CPD statement at each annual renewal, even in a year with no CPD.
Do online CPD courses count for GDC CPD?
Yes, if the CPD is verifiable, relevant to your field of practice and linked to at least one GDC development outcome. The GDC says it does not provide CPD and does not place any restrictions on the way CPD is delivered. What matters is the evidence: a certificate, mapping document or email from the provider that shows the subject, learning content, aims and objectives, the development outcomes, the date, the hours, your name and confirmation that the activity was quality assured.
Which CPD topics does the GDC recommend?
The GDC says medical emergencies (at least 10 hours a cycle and at least two hours a year), disinfection and decontamination (at least five hours a cycle) and radiography and radiation protection (at least five hours a cycle, or materials and equipment for dental technicians) are highly recommended. It also recommends CPD in legal and ethical issues, complaints handling, early detection of oral cancer and safeguarding. Ethics, professionalism, consent, confidentiality and record keeping courses sit in the legal and ethical issues and complaints handling areas.
What are the GDC development outcomes?
There are four. A: effective communication with patients, the dental team and others, including when obtaining consent, dealing with complaints and raising concerns. B: effective management of self and of others, or effective work with others in the dental team, in the interests of patients. C: maintenance and development of your knowledge and skills within your field of practice. D: maintenance of skills, behaviours and attitudes which maintain patient confidence in you and the dental professions and put patients' interests first. You link each CPD activity to at least one outcome in your record.
Can I use the same CPD course after a GDC complaint or investigation?
Yes. A course on the subject of the concern, such as consent, record keeping, professionalism or boundaries, is a step you can show in your response, with the certificate, the course outline and your own reflection on what you now do differently. The GDC says it will not ask for your personal written reflections when it investigates a concern, but that you may choose to offer them as evidence of insight into your practice. Take advice from your indemnity provider or defence organisation on what to send and when.
How much do your dental CPD courses cost?
Each course is £79 (£50 with Bulk Buy 10) for 2 CPD hours, online and self-paced, with a dated certificate on completion that records the course title, the CPD hours and the date. The Bulk Buy offer is 3 courses for £200, 5 for £300 or 10 for £500, so a practice can cover a team's CPD on ethics, professionalism, consent, confidentiality and record keeping in one order. Probity and Ethics is CPD certified by The CPD Certification Service.
Sources
This guide is based on the following GDC pages, checked on 25 October 2026.
