Total number of registered dental professionals increases

21 August 2024

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.