The number of dental care professionals (DCPs) on the UK Register, following the 2024 annual renewal period, has increased again, compared with the trajectory of previous years.

On the morning after removals, 75,905 DCPs were on the Register, an increase of 4,101 (5.7 per cent) from the equivalent figure for 2023.

In 2024, 3,236 DCPs did not renew their registration, which is 4.3 per cent of those who had renewed their registration by 31 July. This compares to an average of 6.1 per cent over the previous four years.

DCP annual renewal fees	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
ARF payments received (by 31 July)	68,751	69,556	69,676	71,769	75,743
Other registrations	120	69	106	35	106
Register count following removals	68,871	69,625	69,782	71,804	75,905
Removals	4,562	4,618	4,377	3,541	3,236
Removals as a percentage of ARF payments received	6.6 per cent	6.6 per cent	6.3 per cent	4.9 per cent	4.3 per cent

The total numbers of the DCP professions on the Register as of August 3, 2024, were:

Professional Title	2023	2024
Clinical dental technician	404	423
Dental hygienist	9,177	10,055
Dental nurse	59,238	62,364
Dental technician	5,023	4,935
Dental therapist	5,558	6,787
Orthodontic therapist	957	1,093

This year, the GDC provided a breakdown of removals by professional title for the last five years. The statistics show that the total number of DCPs removed was slightly lower than last year at 3,381, compared to 3,666 in 2023.

Number of DCPS removed from the Register	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
Clinical dental technician	11	8	8	6	7
Dental hygienist	275	262	244	172	191
Dental nurse	3,981	4,031	3,941	3,189	2,875
Dental technician	343	317	261	210	185
Dental therapist	81	97	92	78	112
Orthodontic therapist	10	10	10	11	11

These figures provide a useful benchmark for the total number of DCPs registered in the UK. However, the council noted that they do not provide insight into the number of professionals working in different patterns (e.g. full-time vs part-time) and how many DCPs are working in NHS services compared to private practice or local workforce conditions. The working pattern data, collected on a voluntary basis as part of the DCP annual renewal, which was completed by 58 per cent of DCPs, will be available in the Autumn 2024.

While the register is constantly changing, the GDC said what it will invariably see (for both the dentist and DCP registers) is that over the year, the number of registered professionals changes due to new registrations, and as professionals leave the register for a range of reasons.

In 2023, the regulator made it easier for dental professionals to restore their names to the registers to continue practising in the UK. This change meant that dental professionals who have been off the register for less than 12 months and have always complied with CPD were able to sign a declaration that it is up to date rather than send the GDC a copy of their full CPD record.

Author: N/A