Tracking mandatory training
Know what each person needs, which evidence is current and what action is due next.
Published by Dr Sim Raiyat
Clinical Director, Dentorb — Private General Dentist
A useful training tracker is a role-based evidence register, not just a list of courses. It should show what each person needs for their work, how completion is evidenced and what happens when a record needs review. Keep practice training requirements distinct from an individual's GDC CPD responsibilities, even where the same learning contributes to both.
Key takeaways
- Mandatory practice training and GDC CPD overlap but are not the same thing.
- Build the tracker by role, then by person — not one generic list for everyone.
- GDC registrants must keep their CPD record for five years after the end of the cycle.
“learning, training or other developmental activities which can reasonably be expected to maintain and develop a person’s practice as a dentist or dental care professional, and is relevant to the person’s field of practice”
Start with roles and responsibilities
List the roles in your practice and the responsibilities each performs. Identify relevant training from current guidance, local procedures, risk assessments and professional requirements. Include induction and changes in duties, not just recurring courses. Avoid copying a universal renewal interval from another practice without checking its basis.
Make someone responsible for confirming the requirement and its review approach. Where an external source specifies a frequency or standard, record the source alongside the requirement. Where the practice sets a local expectation, label it clearly as your own policy.
Build a practical training matrix
For each person and requirement, record the training title, completion date, evidence location, review or expiry date where applicable and current status. Distinguish “not required”, “not yet booked”, “booked” and “completed”. A booked course is a planned action, not evidence of completion.
Store the evidence securely with the person or requirement so another authorised manager can retrieve it. Check that the certificate identifies the learner and contains the information needed for its intended purpose. Missing or unclear evidence should trigger a follow-up, not an assumption that training happened.
The mandatory training page describes Dentorb's role-based approach. Our staff compliance page covers the wider staff record context.
Keep CPD connected but separate
GDC registrants have responsibilities under the enhanced CPD scheme, including planning and maintaining the relevant records. Do not assume every internal training session automatically qualifies as verifiable CPD. Check GDC guidance on the evidence and information needed.
Support staff to connect appropriate learning to their development needs, rather than chasing hours without a purpose. The PDP page explains Dentorb's planning workflow, while the CPD page covers learning records.
Follow up without creating a last-minute scramble
Review upcoming dates and missing evidence at a frequency that suits the risks and volume of your practice. Name the person responsible for arranging training and the manager responsible for resolving overdue items. Record whether the gap affects what someone can safely or appropriately do in the meantime.
Discuss repeated overdue items with the individual. Availability, funding, access difficulties and unclear expectations may all be part of the problem. A reminder is useful only when the next action is possible and understood.
Check that learning changes practice
Where training introduces a new procedure, check whether people can apply it. Keep any follow-up action, supervision or procedure update connected to the learning record. Completion is a starting point for effective practice, not a guarantee that the underlying risk has disappeared.
Check a sample record from requirement to evidence
Pick one person and a requirement relevant to their duties. Find the basis for the requirement, the learning completed, the evidence and the next review decision. If the date on a spreadsheet is all you have, establish what happened before marking the record complete.
For CPD, use the current GDC recording guidance rather than an old certificate template. Requirements can change, and a practice training record is not automatically an acceptable verifiable CPD record. Ask the registrant to check the evidence against their scheme responsibilities.
When a person changes role, review the requirement list again. Some learning may no longer apply; other responsibilities may create a gap. Keep the reasoning for “not required” available to an authorised reviewer. For a new procedure, ask how the person will apply the learning and whether they need supervision or a practical follow-up before working independently.
GDC enhanced CPD hours by role
| Registrant | Minimum hours per five-year cycle |
|---|---|
| Dentists | 100 |
| Dental hygienists, dental therapists, orthodontic therapists, clinical dental technicians | 75 |
| Dental nurses, dental technicians | 50 |
Every registrant must also complete at least 10 hours in any two consecutive years, make an annual CPD statement and keep a personal development plan.
A role-based tracker should show
- The requirement and why it applies to that role
- Date completed and evidence (certificate) attached
- Renewal or review date
- Status: current, due in 60 days, overdue
- Who follows up, and by when
Sources and further reading
- GDC: recording and submitting CPD
- CQC: primary care dental guidance
- GDC: Enhanced CPD guidance (PDF)
Dentorb is pre-launch. Product links describe intended workflows, not a guarantee of availability or compliance. This guide is practical information, not legal, tax or clinical advice.
