Annual retention fee: GDC plans 64% ARF increase for dentists

NEWS

ANNUAL RETENTION FEE

BDJ READERS RESPOND TO ARF HIKE

Martin Parsons, Shefeld:

This must be bad nancial management on behalf of the GDC; feeling the need to increase fees to this level bafes me. I realise that at the moment this may be based on the cost of complaints for each of the groups; however, there are now DCPs with direct access and clinical roles who in my opinion should share that cost, as they currently have a much larger scope of practice.

Would it not be sensible for the GDC to consider having a sliding scale or (pro rata) for ARF based on income? Some GDPs may earn far more than a part-time clinical teacher doing one or two sessions per week in a dental hospital for example. For those dentists semi-retiring and/or wanting to go part-time supervising dental students or the odd sessional work, this may discourage them from doing so. Remember since 2008 dental nurses have had to be registered with the GDC, and pay the same fee as other DCPs, therefore income should have increased for the GDC since then. Whats happening with the extra money?

In my opinion the GDC should base their ARF on risk for dentists, for example a dentist not on the specialist register but who has a declared interest in implants or endodontics should pay more than those who only do general dentistry. It will be interesting to

GDC PLANS 64% ARF INCREASE FOR DENTISTS

The profession was astonished on 30 June...