GDC

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GDC
Protecting patients, regulating the dental team
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Views of the General Dental Council on the
Bologna reforms

• 12 April 2006
• Alvan Seth-Smith
• Deputy Chief Executive
• (Education and Standards)

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Membership of the GDC

• The Council comprises
• 29 members -
• 15 dentists
• 4 dental care professionals
• 10 lay members
• And the 4 Chief Dental Officers as associate
  members
• Over 100 staff

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Our main responsibilities

• Education
• Promoting high standards
• Quality assuring the provision
• Registration
• Fitness to Practise

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Who do we register ?

• Dentists
• Dental Hygienists
• Dental Therapists

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Who are we going to register ?

• Dental Nurses
• Dental Technicians
• Clinical Dental Technicians
• Orthodontic Therapists
• - from July 2006

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GDC Education Committee

• Two GDC documents set out the education and
  training requirements.
• For Dentists
• The First Five Years (2002)
• For Dental Care Professionals (DCPs)
• Developing the Dental Team (2004)

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GDC Education Committee

• Concerned by freedom of movement in EU and
  automatic access to UK dentists register
• Lack of clinical experience, especially Italy
• Stomatological model in Eastern Europe
• Supports progress towards convergence of European
  dental curricula and raising of standards
• Convergence and high standards offer best
  protection to patients

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GDC active in Europe through-

• AURE
• CODE
• DLC
• ADEE
• Dent Ed III
• All have taken a keen interest in the Bologna
  Process

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Alliance of UK Health Regulators (AURE)

• 10 Regulators, including GMC and GDC
• Lobbying group in UK and Brussels
• Emphasis on text of Directives
• Recent interest in Education
• Has received a briefing on Bologna
• Receives EU Newsletter

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Conference of Orders and Assimilated Bodies of
Dental Practitioners in Europe (CODE)

• Dental regulators of 7 Countries
• Expected to expand
• Taking forward relevant recommendations of 2005
  UK Presidency of EU
• March 2007 meeting in UK

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Dental Liaison Committee (DLC)

• Professional bodies of all EU Countries
• GDC has observer status
• Resolution on the Bologna Process- November 2005
• Welcomes establishment of European Higher
  Education Area
• Believes general principles of Bologna
  appropriate and reasonable
• But, strongly opposes two cycle (Bachelor/
  Master) structure

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Association of Dental Education in Europe (ADEE)

• Has followed Bologna process closely and is
  supportive.
• Published 2004 Profile and Competences for
  the European Dentist
• Competences achieved on graduation
• Conforms to European directives
• 200 Dental Schools across Europe

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Association of Dental Education in Europe (ADEE)

• Published 2005 Curriculum Structure and the
  European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) for
  European Dental Schools Part I
• Provides framework for a model of an Educational
  Programme in Dentistry
• Modular structure related to European Credit
  Transfer System (ECTS)
• 5 years full time education leading to Masters
• Bachelors degree would be academic award only

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Dent ED III

• Overall objective-
• To agree a profile for the European dentist
  based on competences in anticipation of the
  implementation of the Bologna Declaration. This
  will promote the European Credit Transfer System,
  quality assurance and benchmarking.

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Dent Ed III

• Third phase of the DentEd Thematic Network
  Project and funded by the EU Commission for three
  years 2004-2007
• Project directed towards convergence of standards
  of dental and stomatological education and
  training in Europe
• Will culminate in a Global Congress in Dublin in
  September 2007

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GDC Education Committee

• Some key principles
• Integrity of The First Five Years
• Whole programme, not pick and mix
• Modern systems of learning and practice
• Vertical integration of scientific, medical and
  clinical dental subjects

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GDC Education Committee

• Robust assessment of learning outcomes
• Equipping the new graduate to practise
  unsupervised
• Clarity to public, patients and dental team.
• Giving full value to a demanding five year
  programme - Masters level

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And in relation to Bologna-

• Portability of qualifications
• Clarity over what has been studied
• Convergence and raising of standards
• Break point after 3 years- advantages/ risks
• Bachelor or Masters- BDS or MDS
• Importance to build on achievements of European
  networks in dental education

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Websites

• GDC www.gdc-uk.org
• AURE www.aure.org.uk
• CODE no website yet
• DLC www.eudental.org
• ADEE www.adee.dental.tcd.ie
• Dent Ed III www.dented.learnonline.ie