Enhanced CPD and Dental Update

The first major change in CPD since the year 2000 has been announced by the UK General Dental Council with the introduction of Enhanced CPD. Principal differences include the need for Registrants to use a Personal Development Plan (PDP) to identify areas of learning need and an emphasis is placed on reflection within that. It becomes necessary to keep a CPD record which must include a PDP, a log of CPD undertaken and documentary evidence (which Dental Update will provide as previously with the additions as below). There is a sample PDP template on the GDC website, but you can create your own or use one created by an employer, colleague, etc. The new requirement is for dentists to undertake 100 hours of verifiable CPD in a 5-year cycle, carrying out CPD regularly (with at least 10 hours every 2 years). Non-verifiable CPD is no longer counted.

CPD certificates issued after 1 January 2018 need to have details of the subject, learning content, aims and objectives, the date that the CPD was undertaken, the number of hours of CPD. In addition, the CPD record must include GDC development outcomes (DOs), although they state that it is not compulsory to cover all four in one 5-year cycle. This information will be included on Dental Update's new CPD certificate. In addition, each CPD activity should relate to at least one of the outcomes. They are listed below.