Provisional registration changes welcomed
NewsPosted by: Dental Design 16th February 2024
The government’s announcement that it intends to legislate to create a new category of provisional registration for dentists qualified outside the UK is very welcome.
Provisional registration will provide an additional route for joining the UK dental workforce and will allow dentists to adapt to the UK practice environment while being supported and supervised.
This will be the single biggest change to dental regulation for almost 20 years.
Successful implementation will be a substantial task and will depend on close collaboration across the dental sector and across the four nations of the UK.
The legislative changes announced by the government are the essential first step in delivering provisional registration, but they are only the first step. There is much to be done to design the processes which will allow provisional registration to work safely and effectively, to consult on and set the detailed rules which will underpin that – and then to ensure that the supervisory capacity and practice environments are in place to support internationally-qualified dentists to achieve full registration.
It is not yet possible to assess how many additional dentists will be enabled to work in the UK as a result of these changes. That will depend on how provisional registration schemes are developed and above all on the number of places providers are able to offer.
The GDC fully supports the new possibilities provisional registration will open up. But the absolute priority will remain that patients and the public can be confident that the treatment they receive is provided by a dental professional who is properly trained and qualified and who meets our standards. Standards to be provisionally registered and practise under supervision must meet these expectations.
Stefan Czerniawski, Executive Director, Strategy at the GDC, said: “It’s good to see DHSC acting quickly to make the legislative changes necessary to allow for provisional registration.
“That will be the first step towards the biggest single change to dental regulation for many years. We need to move at pace but not lose sight of the fundamental requirement to protect patients and ensure that they receive high quality dental care. As we work towards the introduction of provisional registration, we will ensure that our standards continue to be met and that provisional registrants receive the support they need to practise safely and to prepare for the transition to full registration.”
Dental Protection responds:
Dr Yvonne Shaw, Deputy Dental Director at Dental Protection said: “We look forward to engaging with the GDC as they work towards implementing changes to ensure that overseas graduates receive the necessary support to facilitate their integration into UK dental practice.
“We shall review the proposals, respond to the consultation, and assess the implications linked to the indemnity of those dentists who will be provisionally registered to practise sooner than they would be otherwise able to under current processes.”
DDU highlights challenges
Responding to the proposals, John Makin, head of the Dental Defence Union (DDU), said: “It’s important that the GDC makes the process of registration for colleagues who qualified overseas as smooth as possible while discharging its key duty, that of ensuring patient safety. The implications of the proposals, following hot on the heels of recent changes to the requirements for entry to Performers Lists, are significant. The challenges include the need to arrange appropriate supervision of potentially significant numbers of provisionally registered dentists.
“In light of this, we’ll be carefully reviewing the government proposals, assessing the potential risks to those involved and contributing to the consultation on behalf of members. Our members will want to ensure public safety comes first, as will all healthcare professionals reviewing these proposals.”
