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.
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.
The Leadership and Management domain, now called Leadership, Management & Clinical Governance, 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.
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:
Dr Shreya Sharma, an Associate Dentist based in Hampshire, was successful in the 2025 CGDent-GC Award. In this blog, she describes how her reflective practice, a key part of the award entry process, supports her professional development.
Dentistry is a profession defined by lifelong learning. No two cases are ever quite the same and with every patient comes an opportunity to refine our judgement, technique and communication. But true growth doesn’t just come from experience, it comes from reflection.
At university, feedback is constant. Every procedure is supervised, every decision discussed. Once qualified, that safety net disappears and suddenly, we’re left to evaluate our own work. For me, reflection has become a way to recreate that feedback loop, to stay accountable and to keep improving.
I realised this most clearly while preparing my case for the CGDent-GC Award for Foundation Trainees. The award places a strong emphasis on reflective practice, with a significant portion of the assessment criteria dedicated to it. Knowing this encouraged me to slow down, document carefully and truly understand the reasoning behind each decision. That’s where the most meaningful learning happened.
What it means to reflect and why it matters
Reflection isn’t just a tick-box exercise for an e-portfolio. It’s an honest look at your own decision-making: why something worked, what could have gone better and how you’ll approach it differently next time.
During my award case, analysing my own work, even small details like line angles, surface texture and the polish of restorations, helped me understand why they mattered and how they influenced the overall outcome.
One example was restoring the fractured UR1 to match the adjacent UL1 crown. I found the process far more challenging than expected, particularly when trying to recreate the same lustre and the way the light reflected off the crowned tooth. Even achieving the correct width proved difficult.
My successful case: pre-op and post-op photographs
To guide the restoration, I used a measuring gauge to record the width of the UL1 and mirrored those measurements for the UR1. Despite this, the restored UR1 still appeared wider than the crown I was trying to mimic. It was only through reviewing my clinical photographs that I realised the issue was not with the measurements, but with the line angles.
The position and width of the line angles dramatically affect how we perceive tooth shape. My initial line angles were placed too far apart, which made the tooth look flat, dull, and visually broader than it truly was. By adjusting their position and narrowing the distance between them, the restoration immediately appeared more natural and better harmonised with the adjacent central.
This experience highlighted how subtle morphological details can completely change the final aesthetic and how essential reflective practice and clinical photography are in developing that level of awareness.
As clinicians, we hold ourselves to incredibly high standards. Reflection helps balance that drive for excellence with curiosity. It allows us to pause, recognise small wins and identify where to grow next. It transforms experience into understanding and uncertainty into progress.
The value of photography and case write-ups
Clinical photography has completely transformed the way I learn. It’s more than documentation, it’s a mirror that reveals what we might miss in the moment: a defective margin, a shade that could blend better or an open contact point. Reviewing those photographs later helps me see patterns and improvements in my work that are often invisible day-to-day.
A significant part of the CGDent-GC Award involves presenting clinical photographs that meet a high aesthetic and technical standard. Working towards this pushed me to refine my photography skills, pay closer attention to detail and critically assess the quality of my own work. Striving to meet that standard ultimately strengthened both my clinical outcomes and my ability to communicate them clearly.
Over time, these images have become a visual record of progress. They remind me that growth in dentistry rarely happens overnight, it builds with one small improvement at a time.
Case write-ups add another dimension to this process. Writing forces you to think through every stage of treatment, to justify your reasoning, material selection and workflow. While preparing my award case, I found myself analysing each choice, from composite selection to polishing technique. Putting those thoughts into words made my clinical reasoning clearer and my approach more deliberate.
Together, photography, writing and reflection drive ongoing development.
How the CGDent-GC Award nurtures reflection and growth
Entering the CGDent-GC Award deepened my appreciation of reflection. It wasn’t just a competition, it was a structured opportunity for learning.
Selecting a case
The process begins with choosing a case that you are about to start treating. Part of the competition is recognising, early on, that a forthcoming case has potential to showcase your skills and be developed into a strong entry. This shift in mindset encourages reflection from the very beginning: What might make this case a good learning opportunity? What challenges could it present?
It’s not about selecting a “perfect” patient or predicting a flawless outcome. Instead, it’s about identifying a case with learning value and approaching it intentionally, with the aim of documenting your decision-making and growth throughout the process.
Documenting the process
Clinical photography was essential here. Each image encourages you to pause, assess, and understand the nuances of your work. The lens doesn’t lie, it reveals subtleties that might otherwise go unnoticed, and the camera, in many ways became my most objective teacher.
Writing the case report
This was the most introspective stage for me. Writing about my case helped me connect my clinical decisions with their outcomes. It gave structure to what I had previously done instinctively and turned my learning into something tangible.
Winning the award
Winning the award was a huge honour, but the greatest reward was the insight gained along the way. Reflecting on my work, documenting the process and sharing it with others renewed my perspective on dentistry, something that’s easy to lose in the rhythm of daily practice.
Beyond the competition
The impact didn’t end when the results were announced. The experience continues to shape how I practice today. I take more photographs, analyse my outcomes more critically, and make time to reflect regularly. The competition gave me a framework for self-assessment and helped turn reflection from something occasional into something routine.
As part of the prize, I attended a two-day composite course in Belgium, where we learned advanced layering techniques and approaches to restoring fractured and discoloured teeth. It was an incredible opportunity to learn from experienced clinicians, refine my practical skills and connect with like-minded individuals.
On GC’s composite layering course in Belgium, July 2025
Competitions like the CGDent-GC Award (and the Advanced Aesthetic Award for more experienced clinicians) don’t just celebrate clinical skill, they nurture the habits that make us better dentists. They remind us that growth isn’t measured by accolades, but by how much we learn from every case, every challenge, and every uncertainty.
How reflection builds confidence
Confidence doesn’t come from avoiding mistakes, it comes from understanding them.
During my award case, I had plenty of moments of uncertainty: shade selection, matrix placement, polishing protocol. At the time, those doubts felt like signs of inexperience. But revisiting them afterwards showed me that those questions were actually the foundation of growth. Each hesitation led to research, feedback and ultimately, better results.
That shift, from fearing mistakes to learning from them, has been one of the most empowering parts of early-career dentistry. Reflection has taught me to value curiosity over perfection and progress over pressure.
Closing thoughts
Reflection turns experience into understanding and everyday dentistry into a journey of lifelong learning.
For me, it has made my clinical work more intentional, my patient care more consistent, and my growth as a dentist more measurable. Dentistry evolves not only through skill, but through self-awareness. Every case, every success and every setback, has something to teach us, if we just take the time to look.
Dentists and dental therapists who qualified in 2025 or are enrolled on DFT are eligible to enter the 2026 CGDent-GC Award – entries are open until Friday 20 February 2026.
Dentsply Sirona Academy, Building 3, The Heights, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 0NY
The Introduction to Digital Dentistry course, which combines theory, demonstrations and hands-on experience, has been designed by Dr Tom Bereznicki and Dr Chris Leech specifically for early career dentists with limited or no experience of practising within a digital workflow. It provides a comprehensive introduction to digital dentistry techniques, and how harnessing them can enhance your aesthetic practice and patient care.
The two-day course will include hands-on elements of learning, with additional theory and material science modules delivered through pre-course videos.
The course will take you step-by-step through the complete process of creating a digitally produced crown, from scanning to cementation, and provisionally includes:
Presentations on digital dentistry and digital dentures
Short demonstrations followed by hands-on experience of:
Scanning each other
Scanning a preparation of a restoration on a pre-prepared model
Using software to design your final restoration
Demonstration of programming and milling processes
Adjustment and polishing techniques using pre-milled crowns that fit the model
Dr Chris Leech FCGDentDr Bal RohalDr Tom Bereznicki FCGDent
Dr Chris Leech BDS, MAGDS RCS (Ed), MFDS RCPS (Glasg), Dip Imp Dent RCS (Ed), FDS RCS (Ed), FCGDent
A graduate of Newcastle Dental School, Dr Leech is a partner in a private dental practice and the Scientific Director of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He holds the Diploma in Implant Dentistry of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, for which he is now an examiner. He was also the first dentist to be awarded the Membership for Advanced General Dental Surgery by RCS Edinburgh and is a Fellow of its Faculty of Dental Surgery. He is also a member of the Society for the Advancement of Anaesthesia in Dentistry and of the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, and is a Fellow of the College of General Dentistry.
Dr Bal Rohal BDS (Kings) Hons
Dr Sohal is a cosmetic dentist who has showcased his work in presentations in the UK and US. He is experienced in the use of digital workflows, in particular for restoring single unit restorations and aesthetic multi-unit veneers, crowns and onlays. He graduated BDS from King’s College London in 2018, where he was undergraduate president of the dental society and was awarded the Guy’s Full Shield, awards from the Richard Dickinson USA Trust Fund and King’s Opportunity Fund, the Gold Star Award and the Jelf Medal for the most distinguished undergraduate.
Dr Tom Bereznicki BDS (Edin), FDS RCS (Ed), MFDTEd, FCGDent, MFDSEng
After graduating from Edinburgh, Dr Bereznicki worked as a house surgeon at Guy’s and The Royal Dental Hospitals before entering general dental practice, in which he has over 40 years’ experience. With a special interest in restorative dentistry, in particular occlusion and emergence profile, he was also a visiting clinical specialist teacher at King’s College London Dental Institute and later joined the teaching faculty for the university’s MSc in Aesthetic Dentistry. In 2018, he joined the Academy of Dental Excellence as a senior specialist teacher, and in 2021 became a partner associate lecturer for the University of Portsmouth’s Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Aesthetic and Restorative Dentistry. In 2023, he founded the Tom Bereznicki Charitable Educational Foundation which supports educational opportunities for early career dental professionals. A former member of the FGDP and Founder Member of CGDent, he has been a Fellow of the College since 2022 and is a member of both the Faculty of Dental Trainers at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. He is also a regional speaker on occlusion for the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.
Attending the course
The Introduction to Digital Dentistry course has been created solely for the Tom Bereznicki Award for Advanced Aesthetic Dentistry, which is open to dentists who qualified between 2020 to 2024 and who practise in the UK or within the European Union. Successful candidates will each be awarded a fully funded place on one of two course dates, and hotel accommodation, UK travel and subsistence will also be covered.
To enter, eligible dentists must submit an aesthetic case they plan to treat with a mainly analogue workflow, which involves more than one tooth, including at least one anterior tooth, and the use of composite to restore teeth.
Dentsply Sirona Academy, Building 3, The Heights, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 0NY
The Introduction to Digital Dentistry course, which combines theory, demonstrations and hands-on experience, has been designed by Dr Tom Bereznicki and Dr Chris Leech specifically for early career dentists with limited or no experience of practising within a digital workflow. It provides a comprehensive introduction to digital dentistry techniques, and how harnessing them can enhance your aesthetic practice and patient care.
The two-day course will include hands-on elements of learning, with additional theory and material science modules delivered through pre-course videos.
The course will take you step-by-step through the complete process of creating a digitally produced crown, from scanning to cementation, and provisionally includes:
Presentations on digital dentistry and digital dentures
Short demonstrations followed by hands-on experience of:
Scanning each other
Scanning a preparation of a restoration on a pre-prepared model
Using software to design your final restoration
Demonstration of programming and milling processes
Adjustment and polishing techniques using pre-milled crowns that fit the model
Dr Chris Leech FCGDentDr Bal RohalDr Tom Bereznicki FCGDent
Dr Chris Leech BDS, MAGDS RCS (Ed), MFDS RCPS (Glasg), Dip Imp Dent RCS (Ed), FDS RCS (Ed), FCGDent
A graduate of Newcastle Dental School, Dr Leech is a partner in a private dental practice and the Scientific Director of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He holds the Diploma in Implant Dentistry of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, for which he is now an examiner. He was also the first dentist to be awarded the Membership for Advanced General Dental Surgery by RCS Edinburgh and is a Fellow of its Faculty of Dental Surgery. He is also a member of the Society for the Advancement of Anaesthesia in Dentistry and of the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, and is a Fellow of the College of General Dentistry.
Dr Bal Rohal BDS (Kings) Hons
Dr Sohal is a cosmetic dentist who has showcased his work in presentations in the UK and US. He is experienced in the use of digital workflows, in particular for restoring single unit restorations and aesthetic multi-unit veneers, crowns and onlays. He graduated BDS from King’s College London in 2018, where he was undergraduate president of the dental society and was awarded the Guy’s Full Shield, awards from the Richard Dickinson USA Trust Fund and King’s Opportunity Fund, the Gold Star Award and the Jelf Medal for the most distinguished undergraduate.
Dr Tom Bereznicki BDS (Edin), FDS RCS (Ed), MFDTEd, FCGDent, MFDSEng
After graduating from Edinburgh, Dr Bereznicki worked as a house surgeon at Guy’s and The Royal Dental Hospitals before entering general dental practice, in which he has over 40 years’ experience. With a special interest in restorative dentistry, in particular occlusion and emergence profile, he was also a visiting clinical specialist teacher at King’s College London Dental Institute and later joined the teaching faculty for the university’s MSc in Aesthetic Dentistry. In 2018, he joined the Academy of Dental Excellence as a senior specialist teacher, and in 2021 became a partner associate lecturer for the University of Portsmouth’s Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Aesthetic and Restorative Dentistry. In 2023, he founded the Tom Bereznicki Charitable Educational Foundation which supports educational opportunities for early career dental professionals. A former member of the FGDP and Founder Member of CGDent, he has been a Fellow of the College since 2022 and is a member of both the Faculty of Dental Trainers at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. He is also a regional speaker on occlusion for the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.
Attending the course
The Introduction to Digital Dentistry course has been created solely for the Tom Bereznicki Award for Advanced Aesthetic Dentistry, which is open to dentists who qualified between 2020 to 2024 and who practise in the UK or within the European Union. Successful candidates will each be awarded a fully funded place on one of two course dates, and hotel accommodation, UK travel and subsistence will also be covered.
To enter, eligible dentists must submit an aesthetic case they plan to treat with a mainly analogue workflow, which involves more than one tooth, including at least one anterior tooth, and the use of composite to restore teeth.
Successful candidates on the Introduction to Digital Dentistry course in November 2025
Following a successful inaugural year, and an expansion to the award’s eligibility criteria, the 2026 award is open to dentists who qualified between 2020 and 2024 in the UK or within the European Union (EU), and who practise in the UK or the EU. Entrants must submit an aesthetic case they are about to start treating which involves more than one tooth, including at least one anterior tooth, and the use of composite to restore teeth. It must also mainly follow an analogue workflow.
There are 23 winning places available, with each successful candidate receiving a fully-funded place on a hands-on, two-day digital dentistry course at the Dentsply Sirona training facility in Surrey. The prize is worth around £2,000 per place and includes the costs of UK travel, hotel accommodation and subsistence.
Successful candidates in the inaugural competition took part in the tailor-made digital dentistry course, which is not available commercially, in November 2025. Led by Dr Chris Leech FCGDent and Dr Bal Sohal, participants were guided step-by-step through the complete process of creating a digitally produced crown, including the science behind material choice.
One participant described the course as “an incredible introduction into the future of dentistry” and another said they “had no expectations upon attending the Introduction to Digital Dentistry Course but I have got out far more than I could have imagined. I now feel a lot clearer on how to progress and elevate my clinical skills moving forward.“
The 2026 award is now open, the closing date for entry is Monday 8 June 2026 and final cases must be submitted by Monday 5 October 2026. The winners will be announced in November, and their course, which is repeated on two separate dates, will take place on Friday-Saturday 29-30 January 2027 and Friday-Saturday 12-13 February 2027.
The Tom Bereznicki Award for Advanced Aesthetic Dentistry is funded by The Tom Bereznicki Charitable Educational Foundation and organised in conjunction with the College of General Dentistry and Dentsply Sirona. The Foundation supports educational opportunities for early career dentists, and was founded by Dr Tom Bereznicki FCGDent, a general dental practitioner with a special interest in restorative dentistry. Dentsply Sirona is a global company that designs and manufactures leading-edge dental products, enabling enhanced patient care through the adoption of a digital workflow.
Click the button below for further information about the award and links to guidance for entrants and the entry form.
The College is collaborating with the Tom Bereznicki Charitable Educational Foundation, and other partners, to deliver a range of educational opportunities for early career dental professionals.
CGDent and GC Award for Foundation Trainees Dentists and dental therapists who qualified in 2025 or are enrolled on DFT are eligible to enter the CGDent-GC Award 2026, to win fully funded composite layering training in Belgium. Full details and entry form.
The College is now accepting registrations of interest for the first three of its Certified Practitioner schemes.
Dentists interested in the Certified Practitioner in Endodontics, Certified Practitioner in Oral Surgery and/or Certified Practitioner in Implant Dentistry schemes can now register their interest online, and will be emailed once detailed eligibility criteria and application requirements for the relevant scheme have been finalised and applications opened.
The Certified Practitioner programme will enable general dental professionals to have their enhanced skills, knowledge and experience in particular fields of practice recognised. Created in close consultation with stakeholders, including NHS authorities, it will provide authoritative validation of enhanced capability for patients, colleagues and commissioners.
Intended to support recognition across both NHS and private practice, Certified Practitioner statuses will be open to both UK-based dental professionals and those practising elsewhere, and a range of schemes will be developed covering roles across the oral healthcare team.
The Certified Practitioner schemes for dentists are benchmarked against Level 2 case complexity and will align with the capabilities achieved following successful completion of a skills-based, university-awarded postgraduate diploma. The College is working with partners across the professional community to determine appropriate requirements for training and clinical cases, and these will be published discipline-by-discipline in due course.
The first scheme to open will be Certified Practitioner in Endodontics – CertPract(Endo) – the requirements for which now been developed in consultation with the British Endodontic Society. This will be followed by criteria for Oral Surgery – CertPract(OralSurg) – and Implant Dentistry – CertPract(ImpDent) – with further disciplines expected thereafter.
It is anticipated that applicants will be required to have at least five years’ post-registration experience, of which at least two years should be providing general dental treatment. They will need to present a CV, training log and logbook of cases which meet the required standard. They will also need to submit a detailed portfolio of some of these cases, which will form the basis of a peer-reviewed assessment.
Successful applicants will be entitled to use the ‘CertPract’ post-nominal for the relevant discipline. Their Certified Practitioner status will also be published on a Register of Certified Practitioners, and the designation will feature in the College’s Register of Members & Fellows.
To register your interest in the Certified Practitioner in Endodontics, Certified Practitioner in Oral Surgery and/or Certified Practitioner in Implant Dentistry schemes, click the button below:
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].
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.
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:
[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
The College has published an updated policy on its acceptance of Indian postgraduate dental qualifications when determining eligibility for its highest grades of membership.
Dentists who have successfully completed the Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) or a PhD from a higher education institution recognised by the Dental Council of India (DCI) are now eligible by default for Associate Fellowship of the College. The MDS is also recognised as fulfilling the requirements of the Clinical & Technical domain of College Fellowship, and a PhD as fulfilling the requirements of the Publications & Research domain.
The MDS is a three-year, full-time postgraduate degree which combines a wide-ranging post-BDS curriculum with additional study and research in a chosen specialist area. It is the accepted qualification for specialist practice in India, and candidates are selected via a competitive, nationally-set entrance examination.
Equivalence for other India-awarded qualifications will continue to be determined on a case-by-case basis, with applicants required to provide a Statement of Comparability from the UK National Information Centre for the recognition and evaluation of international qualifications and skills (UK ENIC, formerly UK NARIC). This can be obtained for a small fee.
A searchable register of recognised institutions in India is available on the homepage of the DCI website. Applicants are advised to search the full list for their institution rather than filtering for MDS courses; if the institution’s name cannot be found, they should provide a letter from the DCI stating its recognition of their institution and MDS speciality branch.
College membership marks a dental practitioner’s commitment to professional development and career progression. While the College welcomes all qualified and licensed dental professionals around the world into Associate Membership, postgraduate qualifications are required to enter into Full Membership and are the primary route to admission into Associate Fellowship and for satisfying the Clinical & Technical and Research & Publications domains of College Fellowship.
The College already recognises relevant Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas, Master’s-level qualifications and PhDs awarded by recognised higher education institutions or regulated awarding bodies in the UK and the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Those awarded elsewhere, with the exception of an MDS or PhD from an institution recognised by the DCI, should be accompanied by a Statement of Comparability as above.
In all cases, Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas and Master’s-level qualifications must provide, respectively, 60, 120 or 180 UK academic credits or their equivalent (60 UK credits is the equivalent to 30 ECTS or 15 US credits) at Level 7 (as defined by the relevant qualification frameworks in England, Wales and Northern Ireland) or equivalent (e.g. Level 11 in Scotland).
The College also accepts a number of awards conferred by Royal Colleges and equivalent bodies in the UK and beyond.
Full details of eligibility for each type of membership are available here.
Members who practise wholly overseas and are not registered with the UK’s General Dental Council pay a concessionary membership fee which is one third of the standard rate.
Overseas members receive the same benefits as UK-practising members, including use of College postnominals and copies of the Primary Dental Journal by post.
Overseas-based Associate Fellows and Fellows are also eligible to attend the College’s biannual Fellows’ Receptions, which are usually held in London; those attending for the first time will also be ceremonially presented.
To apply to join the College, click the button below:
The College has announced a new initiative enabling general dental professionals to have their enhanced skills, knowledge and experience in particular fields of practice recognised.
Created in close consultation with stakeholders, including NHS authorities, Certified Practitioner status will provide authoritative validation of enhanced capability for patients, colleagues and commissioners. Intended to support recognition across both NHS and private practice, they will be developed for all roles in the oral healthcare team and open to both UK-based dental professionals and those practising elsewhere.
Initially, a number of Certified Practitioner schemes will be opened to dentists. Benchmarked against Level 2 case complexity, they will also align with the capabilities achieved following successful completion of a skills-based, university-awarded postgraduate diploma. The College is working with partners across the professional community to determine appropriate requirements for training and clinical cases, and these will be published discipline-by-discipline in due course.
Applicants will be required to have at least five years’ post-registration experience, of which at least two years should be providing general dental treatment. They will need to present a CV, training log and logbook of cases which meet the required standard. They will also need to submit a detailed portfolio of some of these cases, which will form the basis of a peer-reviewed assessment.
Successful applicants will be entitled to use the ‘CertPract’ post-nominal for the relevant discipline. Their Certified Practitioner status will also be published on a Register of Certified Practitioners, and the designation will feature in the College’s Register of Members & Fellows.
Requirements for the first Certified Practitioner scheme, Certified Practitioner in Endodontics – CertPract(Endo) – have now been developed in close consultation with the British Endodontic Society, and will be published when applications open shortly. This will be followed by criteria for Oral Surgery and Implant Dentistry, with further disciplines expected thereafter.
Dr Roshni Karia MCGDent, President of the College, said:
“Getting a qualification is no longer enough to show your capability at a more advanced level, yet the dental profession has lacked a clear designation for those who have invested in high levels of skill development, beyond qualifications, for primary care practice. Our new Certified Practitioner scheme is the answer, enabling practitioners with an enhanced level of skill to demonstrate independent certification of their professional capabilities.”
The College of General Dentistry, Tom Bereznicki Charitable Educational Foundation and Dentsply Sirona would like to congratulate the successful candidates of the inaugural Tom Bereznicki Award for Advanced Aesthetic Dentistry.
The competition, which recognises aesthetic dentistry skills and patient care, was open to dentists who qualified in the UK or Ireland between 2019 and 2023, or who qualified overseas between 2019 to 2023 and had been practising in the UK for at least the two years.
The 19 winning entrants are:
Dr Cordelia Ashby
Dr Milton Justinsuthakaran
Dr Golasa Sheikh Akbari
Dr Alastair Campbell
Dr Nafeesa Khan
Dr Arav Soin
Dr Nathaniel-Edouard Davidson
Dr Adam Kingsley
Dr Mojgan Talibi
Dr Farah Elnaqa
Dr Emily Lawton
Dr Nickhalas Tan Chun Khye
Dr Puyan Heydari
Dr Ronan Lee
Dr Jarmima Uddin
Dr Victoria Hillson
Dr Tendai Manangazira
Dr Abida Islam
Dr Parth Patel
To enter the award, participants each submitted an aesthetic case which involved more than one tooth, including at least one anterior tooth, and the use of composite to restore teeth. Cases also followed a mainly analogue workflow. Cases entered featured a range of restorative treatments including those for diastema,severe tooth wear, and peg shaped laterals. View all successful cases here.
A selection of the winning cases which illustrate a range of different types of cases entered in the competition. Cases submitted by (L-R): Dr Nafeesa Khan, Dr Mojgan Talibi, Dr Cordelia Ashby
The assessors scored each case based on a set of assessment criteria which allocated points to overall improvement in the patient’s oral health, the standard of aesthetic treatment, the complexity of the case and the quality of the entrant’s reflection.
The successful candidates will each receive a fully funded place on a bespoke, hands-on two-day digital dentistry course next month at the Dentsply Sirona Academy in Weybridge, Surrey. Travel costs, hotel accommodation and subsistence are included in the prize, which is worth around £2,000 per place.
Dentsply Sirona is the world’s largest manufacturer of professional dental products and technologies.
Dr Bereznicki commented:
“I would like to thank everyone who entered our first competition for early career dentists, and congratulate the successful candidates. We were impressed by the high standard of entries we received as well as the interesting and wide variety of aesthetic cases. I am sure the winners, and their patients, will all benefit immensely from the intensive hands-on course on Digital Dentistry, which has been generously supported by Dentsply Sirona.”
Further details about the award are available on the award web page. To register your interest in next year’s award and receive a notification as soon as the competition opens, sign up to our notification list.
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