GDC launches consultation on English language checks for dental professionals
The General Dental Council (GDC), the dental regulator in the UK, has launched a consultation on a draft policy to ensure that dental professionals in Britain have the necessary knowledge of the English language.
Under new powers which have been granted by the government, the GDC can now ask for evidence of a dental professional’s language skills prior to registration as a UK dental professional. It is able to do this if there are concerns that an individual does not have the necessary knowledge of English to practice as a dental professional within the UK.
The new powers also allow the GDC to request that individuals who may be applying for registration undergo a test to evaluate their English language skills, should they be unable to provide any other evidence that they have sufficient knowledge of the language.
The GDC is receiving consultation on the following areas:
• What the information that the GDC will accept as evidence that an applicant has the necessary knowledge of English will be
• Whether the use of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam will be a way of assessing whether an applicant has the necessary knowledge of English
• Whether the draft guidance should be applied to all applicants, including those who have trained and qualified from within the European Economic Area (EEA) and those who have trained from outside the EEA (non-EEA).
The consultation is open until January 4th 2016.
