Elections will soon be held for twelve regional and role-based seats on the College Council, and all eligible members are invited to consider standing.
The Council is the voice of our members. It oversees our role as a professional body and guides the Trustee Board on the development of the College to fulfil its mission.
Elections are being held this year for eight of the thirteen regional seats on the Council, and for the first time also to four seats representing specific roles within the dental team.
Nominations will be open from Friday 15 March to Monday 15 April. Following validation of nominations, voting will open during the week commencing 22 April and will close 30 days later, with the results announced shortly thereafter.
The role
As a Council member, you would provide leadership, strategic input and direction in all the professional affairs of the College. You would be helping to shape key moments in the College’s growth and could also get involved in specific initiatives on areas such as careers, policy and standards.
If elected, you would serve a three-year term, from June 2024 – June 2027, during which you would be expected to attend face-to-face Council meetings on three Fridays each year, as well as regular online meetings and occasional committees outside of business hours. Your first Council meeting would be on Friday 21 June 2024 in London.
You would also be expected to vote, and eligible to stand, in the annual election of two Vice Presidents; to participate in the triennial appointment of a College President; and to attend College events around the UK.
You would be able to stand for re-election in 2027, and individuals may serve up to three elected terms (i.e. nine years) on the Council. The role is voluntary, but we do cover essential expenses. A role profile is available below.
Eligibility
To stand for election to a regional seat, you must be a Full Member, Associate Fellow or Fellow of the College (in any team role) and must live or work within that region, and be registered to that region with the College.
To stand for election to a role-based seat, you must be an Associate Member, Full Member, Associate Fellow or Fellow of the College, and must be registered with the GDC (or overseas equivalent) in a relevant role for the seat. All members are automatically assigned to one of the College’s four faculties for electoral purposes, based on the team role in which they have registered their College membership.
If you are a member considering upgrading your membership in order to stand or vote in an election, or a non-member considering joining, you will need to allow at least two weeks ahead of the relevant date(s) below for this process to complete.
Council seats for election in 2024
Nomination are sought for the following seats:
- Central London
- Mersey and North West
- North East and North West Thames
- South West
- Trent and East Anglia
- Wales
- West Midlands
- Yorkshire and Northern
- Faculty of Dental Hygiene & Dental Therapy
- Faculty of Dental Nursing & Orthodontic Therapy
- Faculty of Dental Technology & Clinical Dental Technology
- Faculty of Dentists
College electoral regions
If you are unsure which College region you are in, check your entry on the Member Register
Nominations process
On 15 March 2024 (tbc), all eligible members will be emailed a link to the nominations website by the College’s election services provider, Mi-Voice.
If you are interested in standing for election, you will need to complete the nomination process via that link (once received), where you will be asked for further information, and to submit an election statement.
You will also be required to provide the names of two supporters of your nomination. For regional seats, your supporters must each be a Full Member, Associate Fellow or Fellow of the College. For role-based seats, your supporters must each be an Associate Member, Full Member, Associate Fellow or Fellow of the College. If you are unsure of the membership status or region of potential supporters, please consult our Member Register
If you think you might like to put yourself forward as a candidate and would like further information before deciding, we would be pleased to have a confidential discussion and answer any questions about the role and the process. Please get in touch via [email protected]
Please note that this item was amended on 28 February 2024 to reflect the addition of Central London to the list of regional seats being elected this year
