Enhanced CPD

The GDC is introducing the new Enhanced Continuing Professional Development scheme in 2018, changing the CPD requirements for the dental profession.

The changes are effective from January 2018 for dentists, and August 2018 for dental care professionals.

This blog article accompanies ProDental's new CPD course. The course highlights the key changes that will be implemented with the enhanced CPD scheme, and the affect this will have on all dental professionals.

The enhanced scheme aims to be flexible, so that CPD activities can be planned to suit your professional needs and your field of practice. The plan, do, reflect, record model helps the dental professional to gain the most from their CPD activities.

Key changes

• The use of a personal development plan (PDP) to help identify areas of learning needs, to guide CPD activities and to link these to the GDC's development outcomes.
• To plan CPD activities in line with your field(s) of practice.
• An emphasis is placed on reflection.
• A change in the number of hours of verifiable CPD required for different registrant groups, and the removal of the requirement to record non-verifiable CPD.
• Requirement for CPD activities to be spread more evenly throughout the five-year cycle with an annual declaration of CPD hours completed.

Hours of verifiable CPD

During the 5 year CPD cycle, dentists will need to complete 100 hours of verifiable CPD, 75 hours for hygienists, dental therapists, clinical dental technicians and orthodontic therapists and 50 hours for dental nurses and dental technicians. The GDC require CPD to be undertaken regularly, at least 10 hours every 2 years.

Transitioning to the new eCPD

Prior to 2022 and depending on where you are in your cycle, you may have to complete CPD based on both the old CPD scheme (2008-2017) and the enhanced CPD scheme to be compliant at the end of your cycle. A pro-rata approach will be applied, taking into account the requirements of both schemes.

How can ProDental CPD help?

We already have an interactive Personal Development Plan in place (this has beenon the site for the last 7 years).

We already have Reflective learning on all our own CPD also subscribers can reflect on learning taken elsewhere.

Posted by Gemma