GDC sets reduced budget and unchanged ARF for 2021

The General Dental Council met on Thursday of last week and took a number of key decisions including the approval of its plans and budget for 2021. Perhaps most striking, due to the significant uncertainty thrown up by Covid-19 and Brexit, the regulator has planned on the basis of a 10 per cent income risk for 2021 and has accordingly reduced its budget for next year by 6.5 per cent. The annual retention fee (ARF) will, however, remain unchanged for 2021.

Speaking after council, GDC chief executive and registrar, Ian Brack, said, “Covid-19 has been very challenging for the dental sector and the country is now experiencing the long-expected second wave of the pandemic. This is expected to impact on the professions we regulate, and we do not know how this will affect the register.

“The GDC has no option but to continue to undertake its statutory duties but faces very great uncertainty. Some of the risks we face include smaller numbers joining the professions and larger numbers leaving, disruption to the flow of overseas registrants as a consequence of our exit from the EU, and the potential delays in students qualifying to register due to interruptions in education caused by the pandemic. In addition to these income risks we have considerable uncertainty in relation to significant elements of expenditure – for example in relation to legislative change relating to overseas registration.