The General Dental Council (GDC) has published new guidance for education providers seeking to establish new dental schools in the UK.
This move will assist education providers in applying for Dental Authority Status (DAS), a prerequisite for offering dental degree programmes that lead to a registrable degree in dentistry in the UK.
Developed in collaboration with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and reviewed by the Privy Council and the Dental Schools Council, the guidance document explains the timescales and requirements for applying, including the GDC’s submission process.
The new guidance aims to provide greater clarity for education providers, offering detailed, step-by-step guidance to navigating the submission process.
The only way a UK dentistry graduate can register as a dentist with the GDC is for them to hold a bachelor’s degree in dental surgery from a programme awarded by an institution that holds DAS.
DAS is a legal status described in the Dentists Act 1984 and awarded to organisations by the Privy Council.
Stefan Czerniawski, Executive Director of Strategy at the GDC, said: “With the current focus on addressing dental workforce challenges across the UK, we’re seeing increased interest from education providers wishing to establish new dental schools.
“This guidance demonstrates our commitment to supporting potential providers through the process of obtaining Dental Authority Status. By providing clear information, we aim to help institutions to understand and navigate the requirements efficiently.”
Education providers and other stakeholders can access the guidance document on the GDC website on the quality assurance webpage.
For more information from the GDC, please contact qualityassurance@gdc-uk.org.
