The College has revised its criteria and application process for Fellowship, and encourages experienced dental professionals to review the revised criteria with a view to applying.
Our landmark experience-based route to Fellowship, launched in 2022, offers recognition of the skills, knowledge and experience accrued by committed general dental professionals over the course of their careers. The revision, four years on, is designed to widen relevance across different aspects of professional achievement, and to further recognise, within the College’s community of practice, the diversity of contributions made to the profession in the service of patients.
As before, all those with at least ten years’ practice as a registered dental professional can apply. Applicants will need to provide evidence of meeting the criteria in at least three of the College’s five Fellowship domains, which are published openly and transparently so that prospective Fellows can easily check their eligibility and be confident in their application.
The previous distinction between ‘standard’ and ‘gateway’ criteria in each domain has been removed, and the application process has been further streamlined to suit the busy modern dental professional, with the submission of reflective statements and CVs no longer required in most cases.
Satisfying the Clinical & Technical (previously Clinical) domain of Fellowship now requires the applicant either to hold a recognised and eligible postgraduate qualification or diploma of membership, or to submit a clinical portfolio demonstrating equivalent training and capability.
For example, applicants holding a relevant Master’s degree or PhD; a recognised postgraduate diploma; a specialty membership of a UK Royal College; a diploma in a specific dental discipline from CGDent, FGDP or RCS England; a diploma or membership in a specific dental discipline from RCS Edinburgh; or the MGDS, MAGDS, MDS or MRACDS, all qualify in this domain, as do CGDent Certified Practitioners and Accredited Full Members of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.
The Teaching & Assessment domain now 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 now qualify in this domain 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.
The Leadership and Management domain, now called Leadership, Management & Clinical Governance, is no longer satisfied through ten years’ experience as principal or partner in a practice of any size together with evidence of external validation such as a CQC inspection report. It now requires applicants either to hold an eligible diploma-level leadership qualification, to hold a certificate-level leadership qualification together with three years’ service in a relevant leadership role, or to have three years’ experience in a defined senior leadership role together with 10 hours’ relevant and recent CPD.
For example, applicants can now qualify in this domain 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.
The Research & Publications domain requires applicants either to have had at least fivepeer-reviewed articles published in relevant and recognised publications, or to have completed a relevant doctorate or master’s degree with a research dissertation.
The Law & Ethics 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.
Anyone previously admitted as a Fellow of the former FGDP, of one of the surgical Royal Colleges in the UK or Ireland or their faculties of dental surgery or dentistry, of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgery, Royal College of Dentists of Canada or College of Dentistry of South Africa, or who holds Certification by the American Board of General Dentistry, is automatically eligible for Fellowship by equivalence without reference to the above domains.
Marking professional accomplishment, Fellowship celebrates both excellence in dental practice and commitment to the art and science of improving patients’ oral health. 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.
Those successfully admitted to Fellowship can use the postnominal designation ‘FCGDent’, and are eligible to attend our regular Fellows’ Receptions, where they can have their Fellowship formally presented by the President. As members of the College, they also receive quarterly print copies of the Primary Dental Journal and free or heavily discounted access to live CPD events, study days and other local and national networking opportunities.
Full details of the revised domains, and how to apply for Fellowship of the College, are available by clicking the button below:
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