Can Non-UK Qualified Overseas Dental Hygienist work as Dental Hygienist in UK?

Foreign Dental Hygienist can only work in UK after they register with GDC

Dental Hygienists who have completed their dental qualification outside UK (EU or non-EU) are not able to practice Dentistry in the UK unless they get registered with General Dental Council (GDC). To be eligible to register, foreign Dental Hygienists have to go through a rigorous process of assessment for registration which normally takes 6-8 months to complete.

During the transition period, many overseas Dental Hygienists are found working outside Dentistry. There is no other option to get back to clinical work till the GDC accepts the registration.

Overseas Dental Hygienists working as Trainee Dental Nurses in UK

During the phase of preparing for the registration process, the only option for overseas qualified Dental Hygienist to be working in the Dental environment is to find a job as a Trainee Dental Nurse, Dental Receptionist or Dental Practice Manager. A Trainee Dental Nurse or Dental Nurse usually support dentists, hygienists or dental therapists in all aspects of patients’ dental care. There are also a lot of Dental Hygienists who are qualified overseas and registered in the UK with GDC as a Dental Nurse.

Dental Hygienist registration in UK for Overseas Dental Hygienists

Dental Hygienists are exceptionally prepared to work alongside the dental team of dentist, dental therapists and dental nurses to offer consideration to patients and help with treatment plan. They have a significant impact on dental health care.

General Dental Council (GDC) guidelines for registration under Section 36 (C) of the Dentists Act 1984, allows overseas Dental Hygienists to register as Dental Hygienist following an individual assessment.

As a GDC registered Dental Hygienist you will be in a better position due to the knowledge of NHS rules and regulations, and complaints handling procedures and dental sofwares etc.

Dental hygienists are essentially worried about ‘preventive’ dental wellbeing and treating gum disease – indicating you right home care and making sure to help you to keep your teeth and gums solid. Just as doing practically everything that a dental hygienist does, a dental therapist can likewise do some dental methods that patients are increasingly used to be done by a dentist. A dental therapist can do fillings, extract ‘child’ teeth, place preformed crowns on infant teeth and do treatment utilising all the materials a dentist would utilise.