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.

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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.

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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 synopsis of antimicrobial prescribing guidelines

The College of General Dentistry and Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England have co-published a chairside synopsis of Antimicrobial Prescribing in Dentistry: Good Practice Guidelines. Antimicrobial Prescribing in Dentistry: Good Practice Guidelines offers clear, simple and practical guidance on the use of antimicrobials by dental teams, and the current third edition was developed by the Faculty of General Dental Practice (now College of General…

Preventing antimicrobial resistance together: a joint statement from the UK’s dental professional bodies for World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2022

‘Preventing antimicrobial resistance together’ is the theme of World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) 2022. Held annually from 18-24 November, WAAW is led by the World Health Organization (WHO), in partnership this year with the World Organisation for Animal Health, the…

Study programme 2022-23: events in all four nations, and webinars for all

The College has announced its programme of events between now and Spring 2023, with twenty CPD webinars anticipated as well as study days and conferences in all four nations of the UK. Study days and conferences In its first year,…

Education partnership with Dentistry Show London

The College will be the headline education partner for the Clinical Excellence Theatre at Dentistry Show London 2022, hosting nine seminars in three CPD theatres over the two-day conference. CGDent speakers: top row: Jalpesh Patel, Kevin Lewis, Jason Wong, Wendy…

Mentoring in implant dentistry

CGDent recorded webinar, Thursday 16 March 2023 Developed in conjunction with the Association of Dental Implantology, the Mentoring in Implant Dentistry: Good Practice Guidelines were published by the College in 2022. The guidelines describe the nature of mentoring which should be…

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