GDC confirms 2027 annual retention fee increase as fitness to practise concerns rise

The General Dental Council (GDC) has confirmed that its annual retention fee (ARF) will increase by 3.1% in 2027, raising the fee for dentists to £720 and for dental care professionals (DCPs) to £111. The regulator said the increase is required to support improvements to its fitness to practise system following a significant rise in concerns and investigations.

The new fees were approved by the GDC’s Council on 30 October 2026 alongside the regulator’s 2027-2029 business plan. The increase is aligned with the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rate for August 2026 and remains within the commitment made by the regulator last year that any fee increases in 2027 and 2028 would not exceed inflation, except in exceptional circumstances.

The decision comes as the GDC continues to experience rising demand within its fitness to practise function. The regulator reported receiving 1,766 fitness to practise concerns in 2025, representing a 26% increase on the 1,401 concerns received in 2024 and a substantial rise from the 1,134 concerns recorded in 2020. Open cases at the assessment stage also increased by 35%, reaching 761 by the end of 2025.

According to the GDC, the growth in fitness to practise caseloads has affected how quickly it can improve the timeliness of investigations and case management. The regulator said additional income generated through the annual retention fee increase will fund extra resources to address immediate operational pressures and support longer-term reform of the fitness to practise process.

The increase means dentists will pay £22 more annually than in 2026, when the fee was £698, while DCPs will pay an additional £3 compared with the current fee of £108.

In announcing the decision, the GDC linked the fee increase directly to the rising volume of fitness to practise concerns and the need to ensure investigations are handled fairly, efficiently and within appropriate timescales.

The regulator said it is bringing together existing and planned fitness to practise improvements into a single programme designed to improve the experience of all participants, maintain the quality of decision-making and reduce the time taken to conclude cases. The programme will focus on improving processes within the constraints of existing legislation while exploring opportunities for greater efficiency.

Dr Helen Phillips, Chair of the GDC, said the Council had carefully scrutinised the business plan and considered the impact on registrants before agreeing the new fees. She said the regulator remained committed to limiting fee increases to CPI.

Tom Whiting, Chief Executive and Registrar of the GDC, said dental professionals wanted fitness to practise investigations to be completed more quickly and with less stress for those involved. He said the regulator needed additional resources to manage the growing number of concerns while maintaining fairness and public confidence in the process.

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