Latest updates from the GDC
View from the Chair: my commitment to you, my observations so far, and looking ahead to important decisions and meeting stakeholders
The GDC’s new Chair, Dr Helen Phillips, in her first blog post commits to working collaboratively with dental professionals and stakeholder organisations. Meeting colleagues and Council Members, Dr Phillips says it has provided an invaluable opportunity to learn more about what we each bring to dental regulation and our commitment to making a positive difference.
Revised Scope of Practice guidance published
We have published our revised Scope of Practice guidance after a comprehensive review and collaboration with dental professionals, education providers, indemnifiers, and other key stakeholders.
The updated guidance will take effect on 1 November 2025. The current version will remain in effect until then.
The updates do not change the scope of practice of any dental professions. Instead, the revised guidance is designed to:
- Better support dental professionals in using their judgement to act in patients’ best interests.
- Clarify boundaries between roles within the dental team.
- Strengthen team-working to improve patient care.
We are holding online sessions for all dental professions to explain the changes to the guidance and answer any questions. You can find more information and book a place on our Eventbrite page.
You can read the Scope of Practice consultation outcome report on our consultation page.
New GDC Chair and Council Members take office
Dr Helen Phillips has officially started her role as Chair of the GDC today (1 October), bringing a wealth of senior experience across a 30-year career in sectors including insurance, legal, social care and further education.
Helen will be joined by Dr Bill Gunnyeon CBE and Mike Driver CB who both commenced four-year terms today as lay Council members.
GDC publishes revised Standards for Education
We have published a revised version of the Standards for Education and the consultation outcome report. The Standards set out the requirements expected of all education programmes that lead to registration with the GDC and are the framework of our quality assurance processes.
Last reviewed in 2015, the latest revisions reflect recent developments in dentistry, the GDC’s strategic priorities, demographic changes, and the changes in healthcare over the past decade.
The revised Standards will be in use from the 2026/27 academic year.
Join us at this year’s Dentistry Show
Come and visit us at our stand at the Dentistry Show at ExCel London this Friday and Saturday (3 and 4 October). Our team will be on hand to answer your questions or have a chat about the latest developments in dentistry.
Find us at stand K30.
Organisational Performance Reports
The GDC’s organisational performance reports have been published. These are quarterly reports providing a summary of the GDC’s performance on our core functions and the progress made to deliver the workplan set out in the Costed Corporate Plan.