The General Dental Council (GDC) has released its revised Scope of Practice guidance following an “extensive review” involving dental professionals, educators, indemnifiers, and other stakeholders.
Effective from 1 November 2025, the updated guidance does not alter the scope of practice for any of the seven dental professional titles but aims to provide clearer boundaries and support the use of professional judgement within those roles.
The GDC emphasized that holding a professional title does not automatically entitle individuals to perform all tasks within that scope. Dental professionals must be appropriately trained, competent, and insured before undertaking any procedures. To aid implementation, the GDC will host online sessions in the coming months to explain the changes and address questions, with registration available via Eventbrite.
Originally introduced in 2009, the Scope of Practice guidance outlines the core skills expected upon registration and those that may be developed throughout a dental career.
Ross Scales, Head of Upstream Regulation at the GDC, said the revised Scope of Practice guidance represents the invaluable contributions from and engagement with the dental sector to date, reflecting the feedback the regulator has received.
“Our aim has been to provide the clarity and support that dental professionals have called for, allowing them to work to their full scope and use their professional judgement to put patients first.
“We are grateful to all those who contributed to this review, and we look forward to supporting the professions in understanding and applying the revised guidance.”
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