The General Dental Council (GDC) has agreed in principle to abolish its current system for adding dental professionals' additional qualifications to its registers. For dental professionals who already have additional qualifications listed on the registers there will be no change while the consultation takes place. Dental professionals will not be able to add any additional qualifications in the meantime.

The Council says that it has been considering the benefit to patients of recording additional qualifications for some time as there were concerns that recognition of additional qualifications implied significant endorsement by the GDC.

In addition the policy was inconsistent and unfair to many registrants including those waiting to have qualifications added to the register or dental care professionals for whom there is no formal recognition system. Before making any changes, the GDC will consult on the next steps.