GDC will not remove DCPs from register over MyGDC renewal issues

The General Dental Council (GDC) has confirmed that any dental care professional (DCP) who is struggling to renew their registration through MyGDC will not be removed from the register, provided they get in touch before the deadline. 

DCPs must tell the GDC by 11.59pm on Friday 31 July that they have tried to renew but are experiencing difficulties.

The GDC has encouraged those who have not yet renewed to read its step-by-step guide to logging in to MyGDC, which has already resolved issues for some registrants.

Progress so far
The majority of DCPs have renewed using MyGDC without difficulty. As of 22 July, 64,298 DCPs (75% of the DCP register) have paid their annual retention fee (ARF) and 56,580 DCPs (66% of the DCP register) have completed their annual renewal.

What DCPs need to do
DCPs who have had trouble renewing must email the GDC at [email protected] by 11.59pm on Friday 31 July. The email must:

•    confirm the DCP's name and GDC number; and
•    confirm that they have tried to renew their registration but have had difficulties doing so through MyGDC.

DCPs who contact the GDC in this way by the deadline will not be removed from the register and can continue to practise. Registrants will receive an automatic acknowledgement from the GDC confirming receipt of their email. The GDC will subsequently be in touch with affected DCPs to help them complete their renewal. No further action is needed in the meantime.

Tom Whiting, Chief Executive and Registrar of the GDC, said:

“MyGDC is a new online service, and as can happen with any new system, we have seen some issues. I'm sorry for the frustration and inconvenience this has caused. We are actively working to resolve these issues and are grateful to registrants for their patience while we do so. 

“Dental care professionals (DCPs) are by far the largest proportion of the workforce and an essential part of the dental team. While the majority of DCPs are completing their annual renewal without any problems, we want to support those who cannot. I want to thank the professional associations who have explained the issues that their members are facing. This insight has helped us to better understand what DCPs are experiencing and to be able to respond."

The GDC is working through a high volume of enquiries and is increasing capacity across its customer service team, including additional temporary support, to reduce waiting times.

To date, 13,276 (15%) of DCPs have not yet logged into MyGDC. The regulator urges them to do so, rather than waiting until 31 July, to ensure they are set up and can access their MyGDC account.

Dental professionals also use MyGDC to apply to join the register. Since April, 4,150 dental professionals have joined the register through this online service.