CPD, how do you log yours?

Every year, on July 30 I was to be found cursing and running around like a mad woman trying to find all my CPD logs so that I could submit those all-important numbers to the GDC.

There would be a folder in a safe place I couldn't remember with certificates, a list in my diary, endless Post-it notes at the bottom of my bag, and the calls and messages to colleagues; 'when did we do radiography?… Was that lecture at the staff meeting verifiable? How many hours did the conference count for?'

Sound familiar?

My partner casually suggested I needed a better way of keeping track of my CPD log and offered to create a spreadsheet.

All I had to do was fill in the spaces, it added up my hours and even separated my core CPD so I knew my targets – fantastic!

One year later and I smugly submitted my hours to the GDC as soon as the reminded letter arrived then sat back and watched as colleagues rushed around searching for dates and demanded certificates from the practice manager muttering to themselves 'why am I not more organised about my CPD', which got me thinking… you all need a spreadsheet like mine.

The perfect way to log your CPD
So, here it is – dentalcpdhub.co.uk is available online for everyone to use, it's easy, it's organised and the best part is that it is totally free.

You can log, record and track your CPD all in one place, it's all added up for you and the dashboard traffic-light system indicates how close you are to achieving your core CPD and which bits you are still missing; this makes planning for next year so easy, you can see at a glance what your missing then book courses and lectures appropriately.

The best part is you can log from anywhere as the site can be accessed from smartphones and tablets meaning you should never forget to log, just do it on the go or even while having a coffee break at a conference.

For a lot of dental professionals, 2013 marks the end of  CPD cycles, with 40,000-plus DCPs coming to the end of their first ever cycle.

According to the GDC, only 37% of DCPs have logged the required hours while 11% still haven't logged any hours at all, that's a lot of you who still need to get logging! (www.gdc-uk.org/Newsandpublications/Pressreleases/Pages/Countdown-to-CPD-deadline-continues-for-DCPs.aspx)

There are big changes set to happen in dentistry over the next few years and as part of the GDC review a CPD consultation has been launched, it seems that CPD will become an even bigger part of our professional remit. With proposed changes such as annual declarations of hours, new minimum hours and Personal Development Plans, this final year is the perfect time to get organised.

So, register at dentalcpdhub.co.uk and get logging.

After spending five years as a dental nurse, dental therapist Allie Crisp decided to retrain as a dental hygienist, and gained a joint diploma in Dental Hygiene and Therapy, qualifying from Sheffield University in 2008 with distinction.

Allie has a keen interest in special care dentistry, particularly children’s dental care and when she is not at Beeston Dental Practice spends time working in the community dental services and prison dental service.

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