We have amended and updated this mythbuster to include information about personal development plans.
We will review whether the dental team is keeping up to date with training when we look at the effective key question.
This relates to Regulation 18 (staffing). This states that persons employed by the service receive support, training, professional development, supervision and appraisal.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
CPD is defined as ‘learning, training or other developmental activities which can reasonably be expected to maintain and develop a person’s practice as a dentist or dental care professional (DCP), and is relevant to the person’s field of practice’.
Team development
Dental professionals must now have a personal development plan (PDP) in place.
A PDP often flows from an appraisal process. The PDP will:
- highlight the areas for development
- how they are to be addressed
- suggested evidence of outcomes
- the time frames involved.
What to expect on inspection
The PDP is personal to the dentist or DCP and an inspector would not normally need to examine it.
We expect providers to be able to demonstrate that they have assured themselves team members (including self-employed professionals):
- are up to date with professional practice and
- have taken steps to comply with General Dental Council (GDC) requirements.
For example, providers could keep a log of team members’ training over their General Dental Council CPD cycle.
Professional requirements
The GDC has published information about enhanced CPD. This includes:
- the main changes to the scheme
- recommended CPD topics.