How to Check a Dentist Is GDC-Registered

TL;DR: The General Dental Council (GDC) keeps the public register of dentists and dental care professionals in the UK. Search it at gdc-uk.org by name or registration number to confirm the person is registered, their category, and any specialist listing or restrictions. A clinician who is not listed should not be providing dental care. This guide has 9 sections and answers 3 frequently asked questions. It lists 3 primary sources, from the GDC and the CQC. Facts were checked on 2026-10-13; it is educational information, not clinical advice.

Educational information only, not clinical advice. Facts are checked against the primary sources listed under Sources (NHS.uk, GDC, CQC and peer-reviewed research), last checked 13 October 2026.

What is the GDC register?

The GDC register is the official public list of dentists and dental care professionals who are legally allowed to practise in the UK. The GDC is the regulator for the dental team. Registration means the person has met qualification and standards requirements, and is subject to the GDC’s fitness-to-practise process.

How do I search the GDC register?

Follow these steps:

Go to the GDC online register at gdc-uk.org.
Enter the clinician’s name or GDC registration number.
Open the matching entry and check the details.
Confirm the name, registration status, and category.

Ask the practice for the registration number if the name is common. Practices often display numbers on their websites or in the surgery.

What does a register entry show?

An entry typically shows the person’s name, registration number, registration status, and the category, such as dentist, dental hygienist, dental therapist, dental nurse, or orthodontic therapist. Specialist titles appear where the person is on a specialist list. Conditions or restrictions on practice are shown where they apply.

Specialist status matters for titles such as orthodontist. The GDC website publishes the specialist lists. For a wider checklist, see how to choose and check a dentist in Essex.

What if the person is not on the register?

A person who is not registered should not be providing dental treatment or using the title dentist. Ask the practice to explain. If you are still concerned, contact the GDC, which investigates illegal practice, particularly where whitening or dental treatment is provided outside a regulated setting.

What does registration not tell me?

Registration confirms that a person is legally allowed to practise. It does not rate their skill, price, or bedside manner. For information about the practice as a business, check CQC reports. See what a CQC report shows for a dental practice.

What if I want to raise a concern?

Raise it with the practice first. For private care, the Dental Complaints Service can help. For serious concerns about a clinician’s conduct or competence, the GDC accepts fitness-to-practise reports.

You can browse Essex dentists in the Essex directory and then check each clinician on the register.

How many practices mention the GDC?

143 of 331 published Essex practices mention the GDC on their own websites. A mention is not a check. Search the register for the named clinician.

What is registration, and what is it not?

Registration confirms identity, title and whether restrictions or suspensions apply. It does not rate skill, record every complaint, or confirm that a given treatment is within this clinician’s training. Treat it as a floor.

A 90-second register check

Ask the practice for the clinician’s full name and GDC number.
Open the GDC online register and search by number, not by a common name.
Confirm the title (dentist, therapist or hygienist), status “registered”, and no restriction.
For orthodontics, check the specialist list on the same entry.
Screenshot it with the date.

If the person is not found, do not start treatment. Ask the practice to explain, then contact the GDC.

Related questions covered elsewhere in this topic: dental care for children and the risks of dental tourism and UK alternatives.