College of General Dentistry News

Celebrating contributions to implant dentistry: past, present and future

An event will be held in the new year to celebrate the historic and ongoing contributions of both the College and former Faculty of General Dental Practice UK (FGDP) to raising the quality of education and practice in implant dentistry.

Candidates awaiting conferral of awards by the former FGDP(UK) at a Diplomates’ Day

The event will take place 20 years after the publication by the FGDP of the first edition of Training Standards in Implant Dentistry. Recognised by the General Dental Council and now made available by the College, this document summarises the training that should be undertaken to carry out implant dentistry safely, and the standards which should be met by training courses.

Alongside the FGDP’s renowned Diploma in Implant Dentistry, which started in 2003, the Training Standards in Implant Dentistry have driven a significant improvement in the quality of postgraduate education in dental implantology in the UK over the last 20 years [i].

Led by Dr Abhi Pal FCGDent, the event will also highlight the College’s inheritance and continuation of this ambition through the publication of Mentoring in Implant Dentistry: good practice guidelines in 2022, the launch of the Register of Mentors in Implant Dentistry and publication of dedicated journal issues in 2024, development of an updated and amalgamated Training and Mentoring Standards in Implant Dentistry (due in 2026), and plans to introduce the validation of high-quality postgraduate courses.

Dr Pal will also outline the emerging Career Pathway for Implant Dentistry – a progression from new practitioner in the field to Associate Fellowship (by portfolio), Certified Practitioner in Implant Dentistry and ultimately Recognised Mentor – through which implant dentists can develop their careers and gain recognition for the skills, knowledge and experience acquired at each stage.

Dr Pal is Principal of The University Dental and Implant Centre in Birmingham, editor of Training Standards in Implant Dentistry, co-editor of Mentoring in Implant Dentistry: Good Practice Guidelines, Immediate Past President of the College and a member of its Career Pathways Reference Group.

The event, Driving quality in implant dentistry, will take place from 3pm-5pm on Thursday 5 February 2026 at Cutlers’ Hall in London.

Tickets cost £20 and are currently available to Members & Fellows of the College. Secure your place via the button below:

BOOK YOUR PLACE HERE

Booking will be opened to College Subscribers on Monday 8 December 2025. Registering as a College Subscriber is free of charge and ensures you’ll be kept up to date through our regular newsletter and gain viewing access to our Standards & Guidance publications. Register via the button below:

REGISTER AS A COLLEGE SUBSCRIBER HERE

Booking will then be opened to non-members/non-subscribers on Monday 5 January 2026.

Driving quality in implant dentistry will be followed in the same venue at 6pm by the College’s Fellows’ Winter Reception, including the Presentations of Associate Fellows and Fellows. This is a chargeable event with separate ticketing arrangements. It will be preceded in the same venue by the Lindsay Society’s Lilian Lindsay Memorial Lecture. This is a free event but prior booking is required.

[i] Kim, N.Y., Stagnell, S. Postgraduate education in dental implantology in the United Kingdom: a review. Int J Implant Dent 4,8 (2018). Available at https://journalimplantdent.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40729-017-0115-1

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College of General Dentistry News

New PDJ online: Implant dentistry (part two)

The new issue of the Primary Dental Journal, ‘Implant dentistry (part two)’, is now available to view online.

While Implant Dentistry (part one) covered the roles of dental team members in managing implant patients within dental primary care, this part 2 issue focusses on clinical aspects of implant dentistry, including complications and adverse events, and recent technological advancements in the field, providing strategies for dental professionals.

The issue’s Guest Editor is Professor Ilser Turkyilmaz, Associate Dean of Digital Innovation, Professor and Chair at USA Case Western Reserve University’s School of Dental Medicine. Professor Turkyilmaz explains the thinking behind the collection of topics in the part 2 issue:

“As we continue to advance in the field of implant dentistry, clinicians face an ongoing challenge to adopt and incorporate modern tools and materials that elevate the quality of patient care while simultaneously reducing the complexity of their workflows. Our goal with this issue is to enrich the knowledge base of both new and experienced practitioners, empowering them to achieve optimal patient outcomes…in the dynamic field of implant dentistry.”

Papers included in this issue cover a range of digital and analogue workflows, with the core emphasis on the importance of thorough treatment planning, reinforced by advanced imaging techniques. A full list is below.

Full online access to the majority of articles is reserved for College of General Dentistry members and Primary Dental Journal subscribers, who can also expect their printed copies to arrive around the end of January. New joiners wishing to receive a copy of this issue can let us know by emailing contact@cgdent.uk

For non-members / non-subscribers, at least one paper in each issue is made available online free of charge, with all other articles available to purchase via the links below.

An annual print subscription to the PDJ is included with membership of the College, which also includes online access to over 1,500 current and past articles in the PDJ Library and a range of other benefits.

On behalf of the College, the PDJ editorial team would like to express its gratitude to all the authors and peer reviewers who have contributed to this issue.

ISSUE CONTENTS:

CGDent members can view full articles by logging in via the yellow button below, then clicking ‘Access the PDJ Library’:

PDJ MEMBER ACCESS

An earlier version of this article was published on 26 December 2024. The next issue of the journal, General Dentistry, is due out in Spring 2025.

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College of General Dentistry Recent event

The hygienist’s role in the management of the implant patient in primary care

CGDent webinar, Wednesday 9 July 2025, 7pm

This webinar explores the essential role of dental hygienists and therapists in the long-term success of dental implants within a primary care settings. It provides a comprehensive overview of best practices for prevention, early detection, and management of peri-implant diseases. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of their clinical responsibilities across all stages of implant care — from pre-operative risk assessment and patient education, to post-operative maintenance and monitoring. Emphasis is placed on evidence-based techniques, communication skills, patient motivation, and collaboration with the wider dental team.

Objectives:

  • To demonstrate the ability to explain implant-related risks and maintenance strategies clearly and effectively to patients.
  • To communicate effectively with the wider dental team to support continuity of care for implant patients.

Outcomes:

After watching the webinar, the learner will gain an understanding of:

  • The role of the dental hygienist in primary care throughout the patient’s implant journey during the three identified areas of implant placement.
  • The communication needed within a multidisciplinary team through the implant journey.

Speakers:

  • Kate Reading, dental hygienist
  • Lisa Knowles, dental therapist

CPD approx 40 minutes

GDC development outcomes: A, B, C

This webinar is hosted by the College of General Dentistry and powered by our CPD delivery partner, ProDental CPD – watch below.

It was free to view live for all dental professionals, and College members also have free access to the recorded webinar and can claim CPD hours for free. A £20 fee will apply for non-members who wish to claim CPD.

Membership of the College of General Dentistry is open to all registered dental professionals. Membership is available from £135 for dentists, £45 for dental nurses and £91 for other registered dental professionals. The full list of CGDent membership rates is here 

watch webinar

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College of General Dentistry News

New PDJ online: Implant dentistry (part one)

The latest issue of the Primary Dental Journal, ‘Implant dentistry (part one)’, is available to view online now.

The implant dentistry theme has been split across two consecutive journal issues – parts 1 and 2. Papers in this part 1 issue include the role of the general dental practitioner in the care of the implant patient; dental nursing in implant dentistry; the hygienist’s role in the management of the implant patient in primary care; and dentolegal considerations in implant dentistry. The main objective of this first issue is to provide readers with a cutting-edge update on the topics, and to raise awareness of the need to manage implant patients in primary care.

The guest editor of this part 1 issue is Amin Aminian FCGDent, a Specialist in Prosthodontics in Greater Manchester. Amin explains the impetus for the collection of papers, and urges readers to share these Implant dentistry issues with all colleagues:

“My aim…was to highlight how implant therapy can, and should, be predominantly provided in primary care. The articles highlight how implant dentistry can positively impact our patients’ quality of life, regardless of the care setting.

“I sincerely hope you enjoy the two implant dentistry issues. At the outset, they were intended for all members of the primary care team, be it those who have yet to begin their implant journey or those more experienced in all aspects of the treatment. The articles highlight the important role all members of the team need to play, with the patient central to the care plan.”

Implant Dentistry – a journey from the beginnings to what has become an established discipline

Prof Igor Blum’s editorial introducing the PDJ implant dentistry issues is available to read here.

Part 2 – which is due out in winter and guest-edited by Professor Ilser Turkyilmaz of New York University – will have a greater focus on clinical aspects of implant dentistry, including complications and adverse events, and recent technological advancements in the field.

Full online access to the majority of articles is reserved for College of General Dentistry members and Primary Dental Journal subscribers, who can also expect their printed copies to arrive in the next 2–3 weeks.

For non-members / non-subscribers, at least one paper in each issue is made available online free of charge, with all other articles available to purchase via the links below.

An annual print subscription to the PDJ is included with membership of the College, which also includes online access to over 1,400 current and past issues in the PDJ Library and a range of other benefits.

On behalf of the College, the PDJ editorial team would like to express its gratitude to all the authors and peer reviewers who have contributed to the publication of this issue.

Joining gift: Implant Dentistry parts 1 & 2

To mark the publication of the first of our new PDJ issues on implant dentistry, anyone joining the College or its Register of Mentors in Implant Dentistry before 31 December 2024 will receive a printed copy. They will also be sent part 2 once available.

JOIN THE COLLEGE
APPLY TO JOIN THE REGISTER

ISSUE CONTENTS:

CGDent members can view full articles by logging in via the yellow button below, then clicking ‘Access the PDJ Library’:

PDJ MEMBER ACCESS

Editor sought for the Primary Dental Journal

The College is currently recruiting a new Editor for the Primary Dental Journal. To find out more, click here

College of General Dentistry Recent event

Dento-legal aspects of dental implants

CGDent on-demand webinar

Hosted by Amin Aminian FCGDent, a Specialist in Prosthodontics and guest editor of the recent ‘Implant dentistry (part one)’ issue of Primary Dental Journal, this CGDent webinar discusses the legal, ethical, and clinical responsibilities in dental implant dentistry. Participants will gain essential knowledge on consent, risk management, record-keeping, and regulatory compliance to ensure safe and effective patient care while minimising legal risks.

Speaker:

  • Mr Stephen Henderson FCGDent, Independent Dental Adviser

CPD approx 1 hour

GDC development outcomes: A, D

This webinar is hosted by the College of General Dentistry and powered by our CPD delivery partner, ProDental CPD – watch the recording below.

It was free to view live for all dental professionals, and College members also have free access to the recorded webinar and can claim CPD hours for free. A £20 fee will apply for non-members who wish to claim CPD.

Membership of the College of General Dentistry is open to all registered dental professionals. Membership is available from £135 for dentists, £45 for dental nurses and £91 for other registered dental professionals. The full list of CGDent membership rates is here 

watch webinar

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College of General Dentistry Recent event

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 undertaken in order to safely carry out implant dentistry following completion of an appropriate training course.

This CGDent-hosted webinar helps both mentors and mentees in Implant Dentistry understand what the new guidelines are and why they were developed, and it provides an insight into what is expected from each other during the mentoring process.

Introduction:

  • Abhi Pal, President of the College of General Dentistry

Speakers:

  • Charlotte Stilwell, Specialist Prosthodontist
  • Dr Pynadath George, Dental Surgeon, Advanced Restorative Dentistry and Complex Dental Implants
  • Dr Sami Stagnell, Specialist Oral Surgeon

GDC development outcomes: B, D

CPD approx. 1.5 hours

This webinar is hosted by the College of General Dentistry and powered by our CPD delivery partner, ProDental CPD – watch the recording below.

It is free to view live for all dental professionals, and College members also have free access to the recorded webinar and can claim CPD hours for free.  A £20 fee will apply for non-members who wish to claim CPD.

Membership of the College of General Dentistry is open to all registered dental professionals. Membership for dentists is available from £94, and for other registered dental professionals from £33. The full list of CGDent membership rates is at https://cgdent.uk/membership-fees/. 

watch webinar

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