Dental nurses are petitioning the prime minister in a bid to reduce the annual retention fee (ARF) they have to pay to the General Dental Council (GDC).

The online petition needs to gather at least 500 signatories for it to reach the Prime Minister's office.

They claim there should be a fair comparison regarding payment in relation to the higher salaried dental team members who pay the same ARF.

They are calling on government intervention into the situation with the GDC, but Pam Swain, chief executive of the British Dental Nurses Association (BADN) suggests that the only way to change the unfair fee is by joining the profession's representative body.

She said: if dental nurses want to change anything, the most efficient way is to join their professional association – the BADN.

‘By joining BADN, they can support the dental nursing profession and channel their views through the recognised representative body of dental nursing to those who have the power to make changes.'

The BADN is currently collating information about dental nurse salaries in an effort to flag up their low pay.

Organisers hope to use the survey into dental nurse salaries to present a case to the General Dental Council (GDC) regarding the cost of its annual retention fee.

Meanwhile, the online petition closes on Friday 22 January.

To add your name in support of their call, visit http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/dentalnurses/

To join the BADN, visit www.badn.org.uk.