1. Titles, registration and the boundary

This course

1 hour of verifiable CPD. Standalone — not part of a numbered series. GDC Development Outcomes A, B and D.

Suggested study time

• Titles and registration — 18 min
• Additional skills and supervision — 20 min
• Stop, escalate, record — 17 min
• Knowledge check — 5 min

Why this exists

Patients assume everyone in a tunic can do everything. The GDC does not. Each registered title — dentist, hygienist, therapist, dental nurse, orthodontic therapist, technician, and the other GDC titles — has a published Scope of Practice. That document, plus your training, indemnity and local protocol, sets what you may do.

Registration is not a vibe

You must be on the register for the title you are using. A nurse who has started a hygiene course is still a nurse until they are registered as a hygienist. A receptionist who is “good with children” is not a dental nurse. Using a title you do not hold is a professional and, in some cases, a criminal problem.

Competence still matters inside scope

Being allowed to take impressions does not mean you are ready on a nervous child with a strong gag on a Friday at 5pm if you have not done it for two years. Scope is the outer fence. Competence is whether you should walk through the gate today.

Indemnity

Your indemnity must cover the work you actually do. Extra skills (for example, impression taking or fluoride varnish for some nurses, depending on current GDC wording and training) often need confirmation with the provider. Do not guess from a Facebook group.

Non-registered team members

Receptionists and many practice managers are not GDC-registered. They still handle medical histories, complaints, and who is called through. They must not give clinical advice, change a treatment plan, or “just pop a temporary in” because the dentist is running late.