The number of dentists on the General Dental Council (GDC) register has increased by over 3% to reach 47,022, according to annual renewal figures.
The number of dentists removed from the register also increased to 900, compared to 793 in 2025.
The register size after removals stood at 47,022, compared to 45,580 in 2025, the GDC said this week.
New registrations and restorations that occurred as part of normal business during this period contributed to the overall growth in registrant numbers.
|
Dentist ARF |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
2026 |
|
Register count following removals1 |
42,215 |
43,130 |
44,209 |
45,580 |
47,022 |
|
Percentage change |
+0.8% |
+2.2% |
+2.5% |
+3.1% |
+3.2% |
|
Removals2 |
1,079 |
999 |
1,004 |
793 |
900 |
|
Removals as % of ARF payments received |
2.6% |
2.3% |
2.3% |
1.7% |
1.9% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The 2026 ARF was £698, up from £621 in previous years,reflecting an ongoing commitment to maintaining professional standards while ensuring financial sustainability.
The figures provide a useful benchmark for the total number of dentists registered in the UK, and while the GDC said it ‘recognises there are important issues of concern, including access to NHS dental services’, it added that it ‘is important to note that the renewal data does not provide insight into the number of professionals working in different settings, or the hours they work’.
A spokesman said: “We have again gathered working patterns data on dentists including the type of work they do, the number of hours they work, and whether they are working in the NHS or privately, which we intend to publish later in Q1 once the analysis has been completed.
“We expect that the working patterns data will provide further insights to inform workforce discussions and planning.”