Foreword
Since its inception in 1992, the Faculty of General Dental Practice (UK) has been the academic home of dentists working in the field of primary dental care. The primary aim of dentistry is the oral health and well-being of the patient, and we recognise that the care of the patient really is a team effort.
Dentistry cannot function without the highly capable support of a whole team of dental professionals, and so the Faculty has developed an approach to education and training that increasingly encompasses the whole of the dental team.
The FGDP(UK) welcomes dental care professionals (DCPs) and offers affiliate membership to all DCPs who are subject to registration with the General Dental Council. The Faculty also offers diplomas in dental hygiene and dental therapy and is currently working to establish an RCSEng Diploma in orthodontic therapy and a route to GDC registration for clinical dental technicians. See the DCP examinations and training section of the website to find out more.
The FGDP(UK) will continue to be a champion for improved career development and training for all DCPs, supporting the valuable work of individual DCP organisations that are currently represented on the Faculty's DCP Advisory Board. Various initiatives are underway to support the professional development of the dental team, including the Key Skills in Primary Dental Care Assessment for DCPs launched in July 2007.
In summer 2007, the FGDP(UK) conducted a survey of the training needs of DCPs. FGDP(UK) members can view a Team in Practice article detailing the results by clicking here.
Mabel Slater
Chairman, DCP Advisory Board
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