CPD Requirements and Codes of Practice for Dental Professionals in the UK

This article explains the CPD requirements and codes of practice set by the GDC for dental professionals in the UK. It also covers the legal, financial, and ethical requirements for managing a dental practice. Additionally, it discusses the importance of having a safeguarding policy in place and the national and local safeguarding systems and policies.

DN 16
Part 1
1. Explain the main features of the CPD requirements and codes of practice set by the GDC for
dental professionals in the UK.
Continuous professional is the art of developing the skills and knowledge of any specific
area which enhances the professional practice. The key features of CPD are as follows:
Personalised: The skills and knowledge of a person should be identified by itself rather
than adopting a all fit approach. This will help it in increasing self judgement skills and it
can effectively manage continuous development.
Supported: The employees should take support from their collogues so that they can learn
from their experience. This will give them practical knowledge of the person already
knowledgeable.
General dental council is an organization which regulates the professional of dentists
within UK. Following are the features of GDC codes of conduct.
Collaboration: Dental professional in UK are provided through both NHS and private
practices therefore there should be a great collaboration among the regulators for the
betterment of patients.
Flexibility: There should be flexibility in the legislations of GDC when the other
professionals has to provide services to the customers rather than dentists.

Part 2
1.DN16 2.1
Research what it would take to manage a dental practice. Provide TEN examples of legal
requirements,TWO examples of financial requirements and TWO examples of ethical
requirements.
Legal requirement to manage dental practice are stated as follows:
The dentist act, 1984 states the regulations of dentist within UK. According to this act,
the General Dental Council is allowed to regulate the dental team and involving dental
nurses and technicians for implementing effective actions if there is a case of any
professional performance.
General dental council states the legislations about the working of dentist within UK. The
General Dental Council regulates dental professionals in UK and it maintains standards for
the welfare of patients.
The dental auxiliaries is helpful in providing assistance to the dentist about their
profession in UK. According to medical and auxiliaries Act,1966 there are several
authenticated documents which are required for dental profession . These includes annual
license, appropriate secretary, board, investigator, Material date, provisional certificate,
register, registrable occupation, Minister, Registrable occupation.
Financial requirements in dental practice- There are different mechanisms by which dental
practitioners take payments- private fees, post payment plans, Third party prepayment
plans like non profit health service corporations and commercial insurance organisations,
salary, public programs.
Ethical requirements in dental practice-
 Inadequate sterilisation and waste management in dental clinics should be taken
care.
 knowledge and positive attitude towards ethics
 Cost increment in oral health service
 Requirement of an agreement regarding treatment with dentist.
 Conflict in clustering or advertising of dental clinics in city areas.

Part 4
1.Describe why it is important to a have a safeguarding policy in place at a practice.
Safeguarding is one the important aspect in health and social case. In case of dentist
professionals, the importance of safeguarding is explained below:
Safeguarding is helpful in supporting the patients at the time of risk. The risk can occurred
while practising by the new dentists. There should be necessary equipments while
continuing practice.
Safeguarding allow to have same policy and procedure so that every professional will learn
from its past faults.
Safeguarding allow the professionals to continue their work with a positive mindset.
Therefore rate of success is much higher at the time of operating it.
Safeguarding allow all the dentist professionals to understand their roles and
responsibilities so as to apply necessary skills in operating the patients.
Safeguarding allow to work effectively by the dentist professional as the safety equipments
will surely help them to work with cooperation.

2.DN16 4.2
Identify and give an explanation of national and your local safeguarding systems and polices.
There are a various national and local safeguarding systems and policies which are there to
help individuals to safeguard and protect from abuse and neglect. Some of them are
discussed below-
National policies- These policies can be guided by safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act
2006, Criminal Records Bureau, Human Rights Act 1998 and Independent safeguarding
Authority(ISA). This are given by the government to ensure helping victims against abuse
and torture.
Local systems- These includes safeguarding Adult Boards and Safeguarding procedures
and policies for vulnerable adults. Young generation are given knowledge about taking
care of their health and stay away from drugs, tobacco, alcohol.
The Police- The duty of police is to protect vulnerable adults and investigate reports of
adult abuse. It also includes the protection and uphold the rights of these adults.
Safeguarding Adults Boards- These consists of a number of local agencies that help
vulnerable adults by sharing the information and details. They monitor work of local
agencies including MIND, police,advocacy groups and housing teams.
Care Quality Commission(CQC)- It provide guidance to individuals about health and social
care. They develop safeguarding policies, procedures and systems for prevention of
vulnerable abused youngsters.

3.DN16 4.3
If you suspect a safeguarding concern, how would you go about raising a concern?
There are several safeguarding concerns that take place in the surroundings. It is very
important to take initiatives to stop such issues. It can be explained using an example like if
someone is abused or neglected, this information must be informed to other people. This
issue must be discussed with a friend, family member, colleague or doctor. They can guide
to stop such abuse. It is not easy to support people when there are concern about abuse or
neglect. There are various helpline numbers and emergency contact numbers provided by
government, police, NGO's which provide help to victims. People facing such problems
should contact police and helplines to handle such abuse and neglect.
4.DN16 4.1
Describe the signs and symptoms of each category of abuse (physical, emotional, sexual,
neglect).
Abuse Signs and Symptoms
Physical
According to several studies it is analysed that oral trauma occurs
mostly in physically abused children and oral cavity may occur by
physical abuse. The various Oro-facial actions of physical abuse are
abrasions, bruising, soft and hard palate, gingiva, oral mucosa, maxilla
and mandible fractures.

Emotional
The child which is suffering from emotional abuse faces different
behavioural and physical torture. It leads to lack of self esteem, poor
social skills, nervousness. A child who is diagnosed to emotional
abuse exhibits self-inflict injuries like cheek or lip biting.
Sexual
Oral cavity is common in sexually abused children. There are some
symptoms may show indications of ulcer, sexual abuse, erythema,
pseudomembranus, nose pharynx and condylomatous lesions of
tongue, lips and palate. If erythema and petechiae of any etiology are
found on hard and soft palates or on the mouth floor, it is evidence of
forceful oral sex.
Neglect
Oral symptoms of neglect includes halitosis, Early Childhood
caries(ECC), poor oral hygiene, odontogenous infections, perriodontal
disease, aptha lesions. These are caused by deficiency of nutrition. It is
used as a clinical evidence and analyse the assessment of bite marks as
these are related to child abuse.