The College of General Dentistry, GC and The Tom Bereznicki Charitable Educational Foundation would like to congratulate the successful candidates in the 2026 CGDent and GC Award for Foundation Trainees, and thank everyone who entered.
This year, all 14 winning entrants are dentists, who between them studied at eight different dental schools, and who are now completing their Dental Foundation Training or Dental Vocational Training through eight different deaneries across the UK.
Candidate name
Undergraduate qualification
Educational Supervisor(s)
Deanery
Dr Abdurahman Abdi
BDS Cardiff University 2025
Dr Sian Blackshaw
Wales
Dr Sahand Abolfathi
BDS University of Glasgow 2025
Dr Bushra Bashir
Scotland
Dr Mariam Ahmed
BDS Newcastle University 2025
Dr Rosie Johnston, Dr Heather Coventry
North East and Cumbria
Dr Xiaoyu Foo
BDS University of Dundee 2025
Dr Iain Bufton
Scotland
Dr Esha Gupta
BDS University of Plymouth 2025
Dr Saleem Mulla
Midlands
Dr Joshua Hurley
BDS King’s College London 2025
Dr Niloy Karia
London and Kent, Surrey and Sussex
Dr Anushka Kapour
BDS University of Plymouth 2025
Dr Deepa Shah, Dr Neil Shah
London and Kent, Surrey and Sussex
Dr Daniel Lekhi
BDS University of Birmingham 2025
Dr Brenda Macmillan, Dr Rebecca Hamilton
Thames Valley and Wessex
Dr Lance Lesterpearson
BDS University of Plymouth 2024
Dr Mohammed Faisal
London and Kent, Surrey and Sussex
Dr Aqil Matin
BDS University of Manchester 2025
Dr Emily McConnell
North West
Dr Imane Nagi
BDS University of Birmingham 2025
Dr Bharat Modhwadia
North West
Dr Priyanka Shah
BDS University of Dundee 2025
Dr Nava Darzi, Dr Hardeep Matharu
East of England
Dr Safa Shareef
BDS University of Manchester 2025
Dr Jemma Hook
North West
Dr Heba Turki
BDS Newcastle University 2025
Dr Neesha Chopra
North East and Cumbria
To enter, each participant submitted a restorative case which included at least one anterior tooth restored with composite. Cases entered involved a range of restorative treatments including those for midline diastema, dental trauma, tooth wear and peg shaped laterals. View all successful cases here.
A selection of successful cases which illustrate a range of different types of cases entered in the award. Cases submitted by (L-R) Esha Gupta,Xiaoyu Foo, and Lance Lesterpearson
The award, was open to dentists and dental therapists who graduated in 2025 in the UK and Ireland or who were undergoing Dental Foundation Training, Dental Vocational Training or Joint Dental Foundation Core Training. Entries were received from practitioners from both eligible dental constituencies around the country.
The assessment panel, which comprised Trustees of The Tom Bereznicki Charitable Educational Foundation and senior members of the College, scored each case based on a set of assessment criteria which allocated points to overall improvement in the patient’s oral health (including periodontal health), the standard of aesthetic treatment, the complexity of the case and the quality of the entrant’s reflection.
The successful candidates are each awarded a funded place on a two-day composite layering course which is taking place on 23-24 July at GC’s European Education Campus in Leuven, Belgium. The prize includes international travel and hotel costs and is worth around £1,400 per place.
Shreya Sharma (pictured above left), a winner of last year’s award, described how simply entering the award provided a valuable learning opportunity, “It was a thoroughly rewarding experience, regardless of the outcome I learned a lot about composites by taking part and preparing my case.” Another 2025 winner, Cara Marcuccilli, said, “I’ve learned so much about layering techniques for composite, the different materials we were given the opportunity to use, as well as clinical indications for each technique we practised.”
To register your interest in next year’s award and receive notifications as soon as the competition opens in September, visit our award page.
The Advanced Orthodontics course is a comprehensive, 120-credit, Level 7 programme leading to the award of the CGDent Postgraduate Diploma in Primary Care Orthodontics.
Delivered by IAS Academy, it is designed to give General Dental Practitioners the skills and knowledge needed to treat more complex malocclusions, including extraction cases, taking them up to just below specialist training level. It covers all appliance systems – fixed functional, aligners, lingual and Inman – and includes both the theory and practical aspects of orthodontic care.
In addition to lectures, students will discuss multiple new cases, participate in hands-on practical sessions and receive one-to-one mentoring by specialists for ten treated cases. The syllabus, which is delivered across six 3-4 day training blocks as well as weekly online planning discussions, includes:
Records, assessment, diagnosis and treatment planning
Treatment planning for Class I, Class II div1, Class II div 2 and Class III malocclusions
Radiography – Ceph/OPG/CBCT
Fixed appliances
Lingual appliances
Removable appliances
Functionals
Retention
Aetiology of malocclusion, growth & development
Development of the dentition and tooth movement
Dental material & biomechanics
Multidisciplinary care, including restorative, periodontics & surgery
Critical reading skills
Health education, health & safety, legislation and audit
This training block is specifically for candidates accepted onto the 2026-28 cohort of the diploma course and is limited to 12 places. To ensure enough case-flow and experience, the course is recommended for dentists who have treated at least ten fixed cases, are treating a minimum of ten orthodontic cases per annum, and are familiar with using fixed appliances.
Patricia Thomson FCGDent will be awarded this year’s College Medal, the College’s most prestigious honour.
Dr Patricia Thomson FCGDent (l), winner of the 2026 College Medal (r)
Reserved for no more than one recipient per year, the College Medal is awarded for exceptional service to the dental profession and its patients in a manner aligned with the values and mission of the College. Dr Thomson has received the award in recognition of her wholehearted commitment to the profession, and her longstanding service to CGDent and previously to the Faculty of General Dental Practice (FGDP), both nationally and in the west of Scotland.
Since graduating from Glasgow Dental School in 1983 until her retirement from practice this year, she amassed 43 years’ unbroken service as a general dental practitioner. Principal of a mixed NHS-and-private practice for over 30 years, she assisted the Vocational Dental Practitioners in her practice for over 20 of these, also nurturing the careers of many Dental Care Professionals, associate dentists and non-clinical staff. In recent years, she practised as a part-time associate dentist, and she continues to teach undergraduates as a part-time Clinical Teaching Fellow in the restorative department at the University of Glasgow.
Heavily involved for more than two decades in the highly active West of Scotland division of the former FGDP, she tutored numerous colleagues for entry exams for the Royal Colleges and presented teaching sessions on orthodontics to vocational trainees. Elected in 2016 to represent the West and North of Scotland on the national FGDP Board, she was re-elected in 2019 and transferred to the College Council when CGDent succeeded the FGDP.
In 2021, she led the establishment of CGDent Scotland to succeed the West of Scotland division, and has since continued her involvement both in the study groups and in planning the annual study days, which have been running since 1992 and now regularly attract over 400 colleagues.
She was appointed the first Chair of the College’s Regional Funding Panel and was elected Vice-President of the College in 2022. She served a second term as Vice-President in 2023-24, and was re-elected to the Council in 2024 before standing down in 2025 after completing the maximum permitted nine years’ service. She continues to represent the College as its nominee on the NHS Education for Scotland Dental Committee, a role she has held for many years.
With a longstanding interest in orthodontics, she spent three years on a part-time clinical attachment in Glasgow Dental School’s orthodontic department, training in fixed appliance therapy, and later completed an MSc in Primary Dental Care (Dental Science) with an interest in orthodontics, achieving a distinction.
She also holds the Diploma of Membership of the Joint Dental Faculties of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (MJDF) and the Diploma of Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (MFDS), and is a Fellow of the International College of Dentists and a Past President of the West of Scotland branch of the British Dental Association.
Dr Roshni Karia MCGDent, President of the College, said:
“I am delighted to be announcing this award to Patricia, and congratulate her on behalf of the whole College. She has worked tirelessly over many years, not least in her leadership capacity in Scotland, where together with committed colleagues she has helped foster an impressive and effective community of practice which has gone from strength to strength in delivering FGDP & College initiatives, particularly for the benefit of early careers practitioners. She epitomises what it means to be a College Fellow, and was a diligent member of the FGDP(UK) Board and College Council, and Vice President, whose countless contributions have helped define the College’s development throughout its early years. She remains a devoted and uncompromising champion of general dental practice, and is an extremely worthy and deserved recipient of the College Medal.”
Dr Thomson will be the fifth recipient of the College Medal, following Ian Mills, Andrew Hadden, Ario Santini and Kevin Lewis, and will have it conferred at the College Fellows’ Summer Reception in London on the evening of Thursday 25 June 2026. All Fellows and Associate Fellows of the College are welcome to attend, with tickets available via the button below:
Further details of the College’s honours and awards are available here
This year’s CGDent Scotland Study Day will take place on Friday 4 December at Glasgow Science Centre, where Dr Noland Naidoo, Dr Helen Kaney FCGDent, Professor Murali Srinivasan and Professor Gerry McKenna FCGDent will lecture on ‘Digital dentistry for the dental team’. All dental professionals are welcome, and further information and tickets are available here
The College is looking for a Credentialling Development Manager to help complete the development and implementation of its Certified Practitioner programme. The programme is a series of credentialling schemes which will validate and recognise a practitioner’s skills, knowledge and experience at an advanced level in particular fields of dental practice.
The Credentialling Development Manager is a contractor role anticipated to last around six months, which will project-manage the construction and completion of the schemes and their systems of assessment. They will work with senior practitioners via working groups to ensure that robust systems and processes are developed to underpin quality and operational effectiveness, and to provide a good experience for candidates.
The credentialling schemes will provide authoritative validation of enhanced capability for patients, colleagues and NHS commissioners. The schemes require practitioners to submit a detailed portfolio of evidence which will be assessed by a panel against an agreed curriculum and set of criteria. We have piloted the application and assessment processes with a small number of candidates for the Certified Practitioner in Endodontics scheme, and this will open more widely to dentists shortly, followed by schemes for Oral Surgery and Implant Dentistry, with further disciplines thereafter.
We are seeking someone who is decisive and delivery-focussed, with high attention to detail, persistence and the ability to see a project through to the end. The ideal candidate will have strong communications skills; experience of project management, building systems, quality assurance and managing senior stakeholders; and a background in professional credentialing, regulation, healthcare education or postgraduate assessment. Full details are in the role description below:
Applications should be sent by email to [email protected] using the subject line “Credentialling Development Manager”. Applicants should submit their CV together with a supporting statement setting out their suitability and skills with reference to the role description.
The 2026 Foundation Nakao – CGDent Coaching and Mentoring Award for Dental Care Professionals is now open.
Establishing a mentor and coaching culture is key to the College’s commitment to workforce diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing. In promoting effective mentoring practice, we aim to foster appropriate support in the career pathway progression for all members of the oral healthcare team.
Thanks to sponsorship by Foundation Nakao, generously donated through Prof Avijit Banerjee FCGDent, and following the success of the 2025 award, we are able once again to a number of places on a three day training course in mentoring and coaching in 2026.
The award is open to College members who are registered as a dental therapist, dental hygienist, dental nurse, orthodontic therapist, dental technician or clinical dental technician. Our aspiration is to cultivate a community of College members amongst Dental Care Professionals who are equipped and confident to nurture their peers, and dentist members are therefore asked to support this aim by highlighting the opportunity to dental team colleagues.
The short course will be delivered synchronously online, using the Zoom platform, by UMD Professional, an organisation with more than thirty years of experience with dentistry, medicine, healthcare and law, to establishing coaching and mentoring practices within organisations*.
Course dates
Day 1. Friday 9 October 2026
Day 2. Saturday 10 October 2026
Day 3 Friday 27 November 2026
Applicants must:
Hold a current membership of the College at the time of application, in one of the registered Dental Care Professional roles. Join today.
Have at least two years of post-qualification experience in the role.
Be available to participate in all three days of the training.
Be prepared to:
apply mentoring or coaching skills between Day 2 and Day 3.
apply the learning to support less experienced colleagues through the College
contribute to the promotion of the experience in mentorship through an article or at a College event.
To apply
Download and complete the application form, which should be submitted by email to [email protected] using the subject line “Application for Foundation Nakao – CGDent Award 2026”.
The deadline for applications is 11.59pm on Friday 31 July 2026.
Places will be awarded based on candidates’ motivations, commitment to professional development and potential for impact in their practice and more widely, as evidenced through their application form. Successful applicants will be informed by email in August.
Foundation Nakao – also known as The Nakao Foundation for Worldwide Oral Health – was founded in Luzern in 2018 by Makato Nakao, Chairman of GC Corporation, a leading manufacturer of dental materials and equipment. GC also partners with the College on the CGDent-GC Award for Foundation Trainees and The Tom Bereznicki Award for Tooth Wear Cases.
The College has launched fellowships for each role in the wider dental team.
Recognising professional accomplishment in clinical and other areas of practice, the new fellowships are:
Fellowship in Dental Nursing – FDN (CGDent)
Fellowship in Orthodontic Therapy – FOT (CGDent)
Fellowship in Dental Hygiene – FDH (CGDent)
Fellowship in Dental Therapy – FDTher (CGDent)
Fellowship in Dental Technology – FDTech (CGDent)
Fellowship in Clinical Dental Technology – FCDT (CGDent)
The launch of the new fellowships represents a significant advance in the professional recognition available to members of the wider dental team.
It is also the latest stage in the fulfilment of the College’s founding ambition to promote and develop the whole team, and follows the recent inauguration of Deans to lead its Faculty of Dental Nursing & Orthodontic Therapy, Faculty of Dental Hygiene & Dental Therapy and Faculty of Clinical Dental Technology & Dental Technology.
Every registered Dental Care Professional is eligible to join the College as an Associate Member. Those holding a recognised and relevant Postgraduate Certificate may join as (or upgrade to become) a Full Member (MCGDent), and those satisfying any one of the College’s five fellowship domains (see below) can qualify as an Associate Fellow (AssocFCGDent).
The six new fellowships are open to dental professionals with at least ten years’ experience in practice who fulfil the requirements of any two of the College’s fellowship domains. Each domain has a range of possible routes to eligibility. Example routes are in the following table:
Fellowship domain
Summary / example routes
Clinical & Technical
Recognised and relevant PgDip or Master’s degree
Teaching & Assessment
FHEA or FAcadMEd or
PgCert in Dental, Medical or Clinical Education plus 3 years’ service in a recognised role or
8 years’ service in a recognised role plus either 27 hours’ relevant and recent CPD or FDTFEd
Leadership, Management & Clinical Governance
Diploma-level leadership qualification or
Certificate-level leadership qualification plus 3 years’ leadership experience or
3 years’ senior leadership experience plus 10 hours’ relevant and recent CPD
Research & Publications
PhD or
Master’s degree including a research dissertation worth 30+ credits or
5+ peer-reviewed articles published in MEDLINE-indexed publications or Dental Update
Law & Ethics
PgCert or PgDip in a legally-related subject relevant to dentistry plus 1 year’s experience in a relevant role or
5 years’ experience in a relevant role plus 10 hours’ relevant and recent CPD
A Fellow in Dental Nursing, Orthodontic Therapy, Dental Hygiene, Dental Therapy, Dental Technology or Clinical Dental Technology may also become a College Fellow (FCGDent) should they meet the requirements of a third fellowship domain. Fellowship for dentists is only available in the form of College Fellowship, requiring satisfaction of three domains.
Fellows are senior members of the College, with their Fellowship marking them out as ‘Accomplished Practitioners’ on the College’s Career Pathway. Providing leadership and support to the development of dentistry, they can attend the College’s biannual Fellows’ Receptions, and have the opportunity for ceremonial admission by the President.
In addition to enhanced professional standing, Fellows and Associate Fellows of the College receive a reduction in their dental indemnity fees with Dental Protection. They can also enrol on a one year, part-time, distance learning MSc in General Dental Practice (which in itself satisfies the Research & Publications domain of fellowship).
All College members receive quarterly print issues of the Primary Dental Journal, the only peer-reviewed professional development journal dedicated to general dental practice, as well as free or heavily discounted access to live CPD events, study days and networking opportunities.
Dental hygienists, dental therapists, dental technicians, clinical dental technicians and orthodontic therapists all receive a one-third discount on the College’s standard membership fees. Dental nurses receive a two-thirds discount, as do retired members and overseas practitioners.
There is no fee for applying to become a Fellow, and existing members who successfully upgrade will only start paying the applicable higher membership fee from their next annual renewal.
Full details of the College’s fellowship domains, and a link to apply for the relevant Fellowship, are available via the button below:
The CGDent Midlands group hosts regular face-to-face midweek Study Club evenings, with CPD certificates provided. These are free for College members, with a small fee payable by non-members.
Leaders of upcoming CGDent Midlands Study Club events (clockwise from top left):Dr Aron Kandola, Dr Prakash Parekh, Dr Simran Bains, Dr Nick Robson, Dr Kam Panesar and Dr Vishal Klaire
Study Club evenings are designed to provide practical, peer-led learning that can be immediately applied in general dental practice, combining short, GDP-focussed teaching with interactive discussion of real-world cases and clinical challenges.
Most recently, the group discussed aesthetic and adhesive dentistry, and other subjects covered this year include cracks and dental pain, periodontics and dental implants. Previous topics have included endodontics, difficult extractions, dental photography, occlusion, tooth wear and bruxism, paediatric dentistry, managing medically compromised patients, hands-on suturing and rubber dam isolation.
Its summer programme of upcoming events comprises:
Endodontics for the GDP (6-8pm, Monday 17 August, led by Dr Nick Robson and Dr Vishal Klaire)
Each of the above events will take place at Rock Dental, a specialist referral practice in Wolverhampton, and is sponsored by Wrights UK. Space at each event is limited so early booking is advised.
Further information and booking is available via the button below:
The College has announced that Dr Ralph Pickup FCGDent has been elected to the Mersey & North West seat on its Council.
Dr Ralph Pickup FCGDent, the newly elected College Council member for Mersey & North West
Dr Pickup is a partner and general dental practitioner in a private dental practice in Clitheroe, Lancashire, where he accepts referrals for endodontic treatment. He graduated BDS from Newcastle Dental School in 1997 with distinction in restorative dentistry, and subsequently practised NHS dentistry in Newcastle, Stanley (County Durham) and Thornton Cleveleys (Lancashire). He holds a Diploma in Conscious Sedation in Dentistry from Newcastle University, both an Advanced Certificate in Facilitating Learning in Healthcare Practice and a Postgraduate Diploma in Endodontics from the University of Central Lancashire, the Diploma in Dental Health Services Leadership and Management and Diploma of Fellowship of the former Faculty of General Dental Practice UK (FGDP), and the Membership of the Joint Dental Faculties (MJDF) of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. A former FGDP Fellowship Facilitator, he is a Foundation Member, Founding Contributor, Fellow and Certified Membership Facilitator of the College of General Dentistry, as well as a donor to its recent Coat of Arms Appeal. Chair of East Lancashire Local Dental Committee and a member of the British Dental Association’s General Dental Practice Committee, he participates in his Local Dental Network and Dental Practitioner Advice and Support Service scheme, and has previously been an educational supervisor for NHS Foundation Training. A Fellow of the International College of Dentists, he is a member of the British Endodontic Society, American Association of Endodontists, Northwest Endodontic Study Circle, Society for the Advancement of Anaesthesia in Dentistry, British Society for Restorative Dentistry and the British Society for Academic and Clinical Hypnosis.
He will be inaugurated at the Council’s Summer meeting in London on Friday 12 June, and succeeds Janine Yazdi-Doughty FCGDent
The Council is the voice of the College’s members, overseeing its role as a professional body and guiding its development to fulfil its mission. Elections are held annually on a rotational basis, with elected members serving three-year terms after which they are eligible to stand for re-election (subject to a lifetime limit of nine years’ service on the Council, including any past service on the National Board of the former Faculty of General Dental Practice UK).
Nominations will open in January for 11 seats due for election in 2027:
Faculty of Dental Hygiene & Dental Therapy
Faculty of Dental Nursing & Orthodontic Therapy
Faculty of Dental Technology & Clinical Dental Technology
Faculty of Dentists
Central London
North Thames
South West England
Trent & East Anglia
Wales
West Midlands
Yorkshire & Northern
To stand for a Faculty 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. Candidates for regional seats 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.
Dr Choudhury Rahman, Associate Member,andDr Francisco Casserley FCGDent, discuss why informed patient consent and accurate record‑keeping are essential, and share their practical advice on the key points early career clinicians should consider.
Choudhury RahmanFrancisco Casserley
Something which worries many new dentists is the issue of litigation. We all dread that moment we get an email or a letter about a patient who is unhappy with something which we have done, or is wishing to make a complaint. One of the ways we can help ourselves is by ensuring we have really good consent, and clear record-keeping. Both of these things go hand-in-hand, and in this blog we will discuss how we can ensure we are protecting ourselves well.
Disclaimer: This is not an exhaustive guide to consent or record-keeping, but suggestions based on personal experience. We would recommend referring to the CGDent guidance on Clinical Examination and Record-Keeping, or undertaking CPD to ensure you gain a good understanding of best practice in consent and record-keeping.
GDC principles and putting patients first
As undergraduates we will have spent a lot of time learning and understanding the GDC Principles. Many of these link together, especially back to principle 1 which is to “Put patients’ interests first”. This should be at the centre of everything we do and ties strongly into principle 3, “Obtain valid consent”.
What informed consent really means
Consent is not just asking the patient what they want to do, but it’s giving them all the possible options for treatment so that they are able to make an informed decision. Some of these options may be things you can’t undertake, for example, a tricky root canal treatment (RCT), a difficult extraction, crown lengthening to improve restorability, or even implants. The possibility of alternative options out of your scope, including private options, should be given to every patient. You shouldn’t let any pre-conceptions about the patient stop you from giving those options. Whether the patient goes ahead with any of those, is up to them, but you need to document clearly all the options you have given, along with what the patient has decided to do.
We’ve also seen many colleagues worry over giving the patient a recommendation of treatment. However, in Principle 3.1.3, the GDC says that it is fine to give your patient “your recommended option”. As long as the recommendation is clinically reasonable, it will always be appropriate to give them a recommendation based on your opinion and clinical scenario. Many patients also value your expertise and experience and will be happy to go with your advice.
Discussing risks, benefits and alternatives
It’s very important to discuss all risks and benefits with patients for each option of treatment so the decision they make can be informed. You need to have this discussion recorded in your notes with all the risks and benefits given. For example, if you have a particularly tough extraction for an upper molar which is close to the sinus, you need to advise the patient there is a risk of pain, bleeding, bruising and swelling. You would also need to advise there is a risk of tooth fracture, oroantral communication (OAC), damage to adjacent teeth and tuberosity fracture (if it’s an 8). We’d suggest also warning your patient that if a fracture occurs, they may need to be referred to see someone else to have any remaining bits of tooth taken out. If there was a particularly high risk of OAC, you may want to offer the patient the option to be referred for an extraction, so that if an OAC occurs, it can be repaired straight away. The reason to refer due to the higher OAC risk needs to be specified. The patient may be in pain, for example, and happy to accept this increased risk, but you need to make that option clear to the patient. This issue was highlighted in an article by the Dental Defence Union (the DDU).
Montgomery 2015 and material risk
Continuing on with specific risks to your patient, you need to have a good understanding of Montgomery 2015 and informed consent. This relates to the matter of “whether the information given to a patient is adequate, is judged from the perspective of a reasonable person in the patient’s position” and that “patients are aware of ‘material risks’” (MDU, 2024). We would recommend reading into the case and the issues that were raised, but to explain this simply for us as dental professionals, if there is an issue specific to the patient, and there is a risk with a procedure which can have particular consequences to them, it needs to be explained clearly to them.
For example, if you had a patient who was a chef, and taste is very important in their job, you may wish to warn them of the risk of lingual nerve injury from an inferior alveolar block. You should warn that this risk may result in temporary or permanent changes in their taste. With this risk in mind, you and the patient may decide on alternative ways to achieve analgesia for a dental procedure. This is only one example of the thought process you need to have when consenting a patient to treatment.
The importance of contemporaneous clinical notes
We all hate spending much of our time writing clinical notes, but there are many small details we have seen people miss. As mentioned in GDC Principle 4.1, “you must make and keep contemporaneous, complete and accurate patient records”. You need to ensure whoever is present in the room is recorded. This is particularly important in relation to paediatric patients in case safeguarding issues are being investigated. Any presenting complaints (PC) must be documented, along with the history of presenting complaint (HPC). These must be recorded in the patient’s own words. For example, if the patient says “I feel like ripping my tooth out”, put that in your notes in quotations. This could be important as it gives an idea of the kind of pain a patient might be in.
You should ensure you have clear notes of the patient’s medical history, social history (smoking and alcohol), dental history along with oral hygiene routine, findings in your exam/assessment, intra and extra oral findings, a comment on the oral hygiene, any special investigations taken with their findings including BPE, sensibility/TTP, Radiographs etc, risks level for caries, periodontal disease, oral cancer and tooth wear. You also need to record all your diagnoses (especially for periodontal disease with staging, grading and risk factors) along with treatment options and discussions. It is also great if you can take pre- and post-op photos of your work, or problems the patient is attending with, as this can show how the patient has presented to you – this a form of evidence which is indisputable if there are issues afterwards or concerns about the care you have provided. Top tip – make sure your camera’s date and time settings are correct before taking the photos. Find out about how to pick a good camera set up in the blog ‘How to get the most out of Foundation Training and make the right investments’
Templates can be a great tool, especially when you are seeing many patients. They can help ensure you do not miss anything during your appointments, and you’ll find many of the discussions you have will be the same with a lot of patients, so having quick notes will save you from typing out the same discussion for multiple patients. However, you need to be very careful with how you use these. If you were to be investigated for whatever reason, blank or unfilled areas in your notes would not look very good, and if you have not edited notes to make them specific to each patient’s risks, this could mean some parts of your conversation with the patient may not be there to defend you.
Poor records = poor defence
Something I remember being told when I started working has always stuck with me – Poor records = poor defence. No records = no defence. If you have not written in your clinical notes something you have said, it is essentially assumed the conversation never happened. If you find yourself in the court of law with litigation issues, the only thing there will be to defend you is your clinical notes, or lack thereof, if you are not doing them well.
Further learning
We would really recommend doing some more research and CPD on consent and record-keeping. For good practice guidance, go to the CGDent guidance ‘Clinical Examination and Record-Keeping’ and we’d also recommend the indemnity websites where they discuss cases and there is a lot to be learnt from them.
Authors’ bio
“I Graduated from the University of Manchester in 2023, completed my FD Training in the Greater Manchester North Scheme and am now an Associate Dentist in Greater Manchester. I’m also a NextGen Ambassador for the College of General Dentistry. My clinical interests include Oral Surgery and Prosthodontics. I am currently undertaking a Masters in Prosthodontics at UCLAN and have interests in Implants and also dental education. Outside of work, I enjoy running and 5-a-side football.”
Dr Choudhury Rahman, Associate Member of the College
“I graduated from the University of Manchester in 2005 and am currently an Educational Supervisor in Greater Manchester North Scheme, as well as an expert witness. I spend most of my time carrying out general dentistry, alongside placing implants and running two NHS dental practices. Outside work I enjoy spending time with my two boys and I am also an avid Manchester United fan”
The College has opened four new routes to Associate Fellowship, expanding eligibility to those with suitable knowledge and experience in teaching, leadership, research or dento-legal matters.
A stepping stone to Fellowship, Associate Fellowship was introduced by the College at its inception to increase the standing of those dental professionals who have significantly developed their knowledge and skills. Open to those in all dental team roles, it bridges the large gap between Membership and Fellowship which previously offered no further recognition of these individuals’ achievements.
To date, Associate Fellowship has only been open to those holding particular qualifications, broadly aligning it to the requirements of the old Clinical domain of College Fellowship.
However, to widen relevance across different aspects of professional achievement, and to further recognise the diversity of contributions made to the profession in the service of patients, Associate Fellowship is now open to any dental professional with at least five years’ experience in practice who meets the requirements of any one of the College’s five Fellowship domains.
The recently revised domain requirements are openly published so that prospective Associate Fellows can easily check their eligibility and be confident in their application.
A summary of the domain requirements is below:
Clinical & Technical
This domain requires the applicant either to hold an eligible award or to submit a clinical portfolio demonstrating equivalent training and capability.
Qualifying awards include a relevant Postgraduate Diploma, Master’s degree or PhD from a recognised UK or EHEA higher education institution or an accredited UK provider; the CGDent Diploma in Primary Care Orthodontics or Certified Practitioner status; specialty membership of a UK Royal College or Royal College faculty; a diploma in a specific dental discipline from RCS England, RCS Edinburgh or the former FGDP; the MGDS, MAGDS, MDS or MRACDS; and Accredited Full Membership of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.
Alternatively, applications by clinical portfolio are currently open in Restorative Dentistry, with specifications for Implant Dentistry and Orthodontics due to be published soon.
Teaching & Assessment
This requires applicants to either be recognised by an authoritative body in this field, to have a relevant Postgraduate Certificate together with three years’ qualifying experience, or to have eight years’ qualifying experience plus verified training.
For example, applicants can qualify if they have eight years’ service as an NHS Educational Supervisor (for at least 200 hours per year), together with either 27 hours’ relevant and recent CPD or Fellowship of the Faculty of Dental Trainers of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
Leadership, Management & Clinical Governance
Applicants under this domain should either hold an eligible diploma-level leadership qualification, or a certificate-level leadership qualification together with three years’ service in a relevant leadership role, or have three years’ experience in a defined senior leadership role together with 10 hours’ relevant and recent CPD.
For example, applicants qualify if they have three years’ experience of leadership, oversight and accountability as principal or partner of a multi-chair practice with a minimum of six registrants, together with a relevant Level 7 Postgraduate Certificate or ILM Level 5 diploma.
Research & Publications
Applicants should either have completed a relevant Doctorate or Master’s degree including a research dissertation, or have had at least five peer-reviewed articles published in MEDLINE-indexed publications (such as the Primary Dental Journal) or Dental Update.
Law & Ethics
This domain requires applicants to have either five years’ experience in a qualifying role together with 10 hours’ relevant and recent CPD, or to have a law degree or relevant postgraduate qualification together with a year’s experience in a relevant role.
Associate Fellows are senior members of the College who are advancing their journey towards Fellowship. Recognised as ‘Enhanced Practitioners’ on the College’s Career Pathway, their professional standing is marked out by the use of the postnominal AssocFCGDent.
As members of the Fellowship Community, Associate Fellows reflect the College’s values and focus on professionalism, and help provide leadership and support to the development of dentistry. They can attend the prestigious biannual Fellows’ Receptions, and have the opportunity for ceremonial admission by the President.
Associate Fellows receive a 5% reduction in their dental indemnity fees with Dental Protection. They are also eligible to enrol on a ‘top-up’ MSc in General Dental Practice, completion of which can be achieved in a single year of part-time distance learning and would take them a further step towards Fellowship by satisfying the Research & Publications domain.
Like all College members, Associate Fellows receive quarterly print issues of the Primary Dental Journal, the only peer-reviewed professional development journal dedicated to general dental practice, as well as free or heavily discounted access to live CPD events, study days and networking opportunities.
There is no fee for applying to become an Associate Fellow, and existing members who successfully upgrade will only start paying the applicable higher membership fee from their next annual renewal.
Full details of the domains, and a link to apply for Associate Fellowship of the College, are available by clicking the button below:
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