The College of General Dentistry has launched a landmark new route to fellowship based on experience, and has issued an open invitation to suitably experienced dental professionals to apply.
The community of Fellows lies at the heart of the College, providing leadership and collectively supporting the development of dentistry, as well as reflecting the values of the organisation and its focus on professionalism.
In line with the College’s ambitions and inclusive approach, applicants do not need to be an existing member of the College, and fellowship is open to all members of the dental team should they meet the criteria. However, a minimum of ten years’ practice as a registered dental professional is required for the application to be considered.
The College has set out transparent criteria for its new by experience route to Fellowship, so that prospective fellows can be confident in their application. A straightforward application process has also been designed to suit the busy modern dental professional, with applicants needing to submit only their CV, registration certificate and evidence of meeting the requirements of three of five fellowship domains.
For each of the five domains – Clinical; Teaching, Learning & Assessment; Leadership & Management; Publications & Research; and Law & Ethics – two sets of criteria have been published.
Evidence for capability in a domain using the standard criteria will need to be accompanied by a reflective account of professional development covering that domain, which will be assessed by the College’s Membership Admissions Panel.
However, meeting the ‘gateway’ criteria will automatically qualify the applicant under that domain.
For example, automatic satisfaction of the Clinical domain of fellowship is available to anyone who holds the FGDP(UK) Diploma in Implant Dentistry, Restorative Dentistry or Minor Oral Surgery, a Masters in Clinical Dentistry (MClinDent), RCS Edinburgh’s Diploma in Implant Dentistry or Membership in Advanced General Dental Surgery (MAGDS), a Membership in General Dental Surgery from any UK Royal College or RCS Ireland (MGDS), membership of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgery, a Specialty Membership of a UK Royal College, Accredited Full Membership of the British Association for Cosmetic Dentistry, or any UK-regulated Postgraduate Diploma or Masters in a clinical subject qualifying as at least 120 Credits in the UK CAT scheme.
Anyone who already holds a fellowship with one of the UK or Ireland Royal Colleges or their faculties of dental surgery or dentistry, with the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgery, or with the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, will not need to apply for Fellowship based on experience, but can instead apply for Fellowship by equivalence, which succeeds the Faculty’s Fellowship ad eundum route.
Successful applicants will be entitled to use the postnominal designation ‘FCGDent’, and as members of the College will receive access to live CPD events and an online library of over 900 hours of content, an online Personal Development Planning tool, quarterly print copies of the Primary Dental Journal and online access to an archive of 90 past issues, heavily discounted access to study days and local and national networking opportunities.
Those applying in the coming weeks will have the opportunity to have their Fellowship conferred by the College President at the CGDent Fellows’ Summer Reception in London on Wednesday 15 June 2022.
The College has also recently launched its innovative new Associate Fellowship membership grade, which acts as a stepping stone to Fellowship. This confers the postnominal designation ‘AssocFCGDent’, and is open to those who hold the MGDS, a Specialty Membership of a UK dental faculty, or a Postgraduate Diploma level or Masters level qualification in a subject relevant to the enhancement of oral healthcare.
Full details are available at https://cgdent.uk/fellowship/