Standards & guidance

We set the authoritative standards and guidance for general dental practice, promoting high-quality practice and patient care:

Supporting excellence throughout the profession, our evidence-based Standards and Guidance are a respected resource for the whole dental team.

Digital copies are available here for registered users.
Sign into your account here.

In our Talking Standards webinar series, free to view live, the experts discuss key areas from our guidance and answer your questions. Scroll down to see what’s coming soon or visit our events page.

Sign up to our monthly newsletter to find out about new and updated publications and upcoming live and recorded webinars.

An introduction to research for primary dental care clinicians

An Introduction to Research for Primary Dental Care Clinicians introduces the principles of research methodology, discusses the relevance of research to primary dental care, and provides an overview of the different stages in a research project.

Antimicrobial prescribing in dentistry

Antimicrobial Prescribing in Dentistry gives clear, simple and practical guidance to dentists on when to prescribe antimicrobials, what to prescribe, for how long and at what dosage.

Our printable one-page summary of the guidance, Chairside synopsis for common conditions, which summarises recommendations applicable for adult patients, is available for all dental professionals and practices to download.

The Antimicrobial Prescribing Self-Audit Tool, co-published with the British Dental Association and endorsed by Public Health England, helps dental prescribers to complete a clinical audit of their antimicrobial prescribing and management of dental infections, and to compare audited practice against the guidance.

Further resources are available in the Dental Antimicrobial Stewardship Toolkit, which was developed by the FGDP(UK), the British Dental Association and the Dental Sub-Group of Public Health England’s English surveillance programme for antimicrobial utilisation and resistance (ESPAUR).

Clinical examination and record-keeping 

Clinical Examination and Record-Keeping is a complete reference guide to record-keeping and examination, including history-taking, consent, confidentiality, data protection and more.

Dementia-friendly dentistry 

Dementia-Friendly Dentistry enables dental professionals to understand dementia and its implications for dental practice, and adapt their patient management and clinical decisions accordingly.

Guidance notes for dental practitioners on the safe use of X-ray equipment

Sets standards for the safe use of x-ray equipment within dental practice in line with the Ionising Radiation Regulations 2017 (IRR17) and Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 (IRMER17).

Implications of COVID-19 for the safe management of general dental practice

Our COVID-19 guidance supports dental professionals to take a risk-based, evidence-based approach to providing safe general dental care, and looking after team wellbeing, in the current circumstances.

Mentoring in implant dentistry

Mentoring in Implant Dentistry: Good Practice Guidelines describes the nature of mentoring which should be undertaken in order to safely carry out implant dentistry following completion of an appropriate training course, and complements Training Standards in Implant Dentistry.

Selection criteria for dental radiography

Selection Criteria for Dental Radiography is the leading guideline on indications for radiographic investigation, covering treatment planning and monitoring, ionising radiation regulations and best practice.

Standards in dentistry 

Standards in Dentistry is a comprehensive collection of standards and guidelines for primary dental care.

Training standards in implant dentistry 

Training Standards in Implant Dentistry summarises the training that should be undertaken to carry out implant dentistry safely, and the standards which should be met by training courses. It should be read in conjunction with Mentoring in Implant Dentistry: Good Practice Guidelines.

Latest

New PDJ online: Dental trauma

The latest issue of the Primary Dental Journal (vol.12, no.4), on the theme of dental trauma, is now live online. Focussed on the theme of dental trauma, it is guest edited by Beth Burns, a Consultant & Clinical Lead in Restorative Dentistry at Glasgow Dental Hospital and Board Member of Dental Trauma UK. In this issue, Mrs Burns has selected a range of key topics for the whole team of…

Preventing antimicrobial resistance together

Understanding antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the drivers for its development will help healthcare professionals work together to reduce its emergence and spread. It is well documented that the more we use antimicrobial agents, the more drug resistance will develop. Fourteen…

New PDJ online: Aesthetic dentistry, part 2

The latest edition of the Primary Dental Journal, the Aesthetic dentistry part 2 issue (vol.12, no.3), is now live online. As with part 1 (vol.12, no.2), this issue is guest edited by two renowned experts in the field, Subir Banerji (Programme…

Record-keeping in the real world of general dental practice – 17 May 2024

Friday 17 May 2024, 3.15-4.00pm, Birmingham Enhanced CPD Theatre, Hall 5, National Exhibition Centre, Pendigo Way, Marston Green, Birmingham B40 1NT This lecture will discuss the importance of comprehensive and accurate record-keeping, and why it is fundamental for good clinical…

New PDJ online: Aesthetic dentistry, part 1

The latest edition of the Primary Dental Journal, the Aesthetic dentistry part 1 issue (vol.12, no.2), is now live online. This issue is guest edited by two renowned experts in the field, Subir Banerji (Programme Director MSc Aesthetic dentistry, King’s College…

Join us | Sign up for College newsletter | Member Register | Patients and public

Privacy policy | Cookie policy | Contact

College of General Dentistry (CGDent), 124 City Road, London, EC1V 2NX
Company Registration No. 2586636 | Registered Charity No. 1002769