How to check a dentist on the GDC register

A dentist’s website tells you what the practice says about itself. The register is the independent check. This guide walks through the search, explains what the result tells you, and says how this directory handles registration. It is based on the GDC’s own pages, checked on 6 October 2026.

It gives general information only and has not yet been reviewed by a dental professional.

What the General Dental Council register is

The General Dental Council (GDC) regulates dental professionals in the UK. It keeps searchable registers that, according to its online register page, are updated daily, so you can confirm whether someone is registered and eligible to practise.

The registers include dentists and six types of dental care professional: clinical dental technicians, dental hygienists, dental nurses, dental technicians, dental therapists and orthodontic therapists. The GDC says it also lists temporary registrant dentists and visiting practitioners.

If you are looking for a dental hygienist or a dentist, both appear on the same register.

How to search the register

Start from the GDC’s check-a-register page at https://www.gdc-uk.org/check-a-register, which leads to the online register at olr.gdc-uk.org. The GDC’s register page says you can search by:

• name, either forename, surname or both
• town
• GDC registration number
• soundalike matching for names, useful if you are unsure of a spelling
• an optional filter to include erased registrants

A practical order to follow:

1. Get the full name of the dentist or hygienist you plan to see. The practice can tell you, and many practice websites list their team.
2. Open the GDC online register and enter the surname, and a forename and town if you have them.
3. Check that the person appears and that the entry confirms they are registered and eligible to practise.
4. If the name does not appear, check the spelling, try soundalike matching, and then ask the practice how the person is registered.

Names are not unique, so searching by name and town may show several people. If a practice shows a GDC number on its website, you can search by number. Treat the register as the source, not the number on a website. If a name does not appear and you are unsure of the spelling, try the soundalike option, or contact the practice and ask them to confirm how the person is registered.

Use the GDC’s own website for the search, because the register is held there.

What registration does and does not tell you

Registration tells you the person is on the GDC register and eligible to practise, according to the GDC. That is a baseline check. It matters because the GDC warns that anyone receiving treatment from an unregistered person in the UK is not protected by the regulatory system.

Registration does not tell you several things:

• Whether the person works in the NHS or in private practice. The GDC says it holds no information on this.
• Where a practice is, what it offers or how it handles patients. The GDC directs people who want a dentist by location or practice type to other services.
• What treatment costs. The GDC says it does not set prices for private or Health Service treatment, and it expects practices to display a price list and give clear price information on their websites. Our guide to Health Service and private dental charges in Northern Ireland covers that side.
• Whether a clinic abroad is regulated. The GDC regulates UK dental professionals only. See what to check before dental treatment abroad.

If you have a concern about a registered practitioner who treated you in the UK, the GDC says it can investigate complaints about registered practitioners providing treatment in the UK.

When to check, and who to check

Check before a first appointment, and check again whenever you meet a new member of the team. The register covers more than dentists, so you can look up the hygienist, dental therapist or orthodontic therapist you will see for orthodontic treatment as well.

The same check is useful for any treatment that changes your teeth. If someone in the UK assesses you for treatment to be carried out abroad, the GDC says to check that they are legally allowed to practise dentistry in the UK, using its register. It warns that patients who receive treatment from someone unregistered will not be protected by the UK regulatory system.

Registration is a starting point. It does not replace asking the practice about the treatment plan, the cost and what happens if something goes wrong.

How this directory uses (and does not claim) registration

This directory does not verify registration. It holds no GDC numbers and no record of anyone’s registration status. Listings come from public Google Maps data and clinic websites, and they are labelled that way.

We therefore do not describe any clinic as verified or registered. Each listing points you to the GDC register so you can check the individual dentist yourself. You can read how listings are selected on our methodology page.

If you spot an error in a listing, use the report an error form. If you run a practice and want to correct your details, you can claim your listing.

Next step

Once you have a name to check, search the register, then compare practices on what matters to you, such as services, location and fees. You can start by browsing dentists in Belfast and checking the GDC register for any dentist you plan to see.