The Association of Dentists in Aesthetic Practice (ADAP) is publishing its first Education and Competency Framework for dentists working in medical aesthetics.
Led by aesthetic practitioner Dr Rehanna Beckhurst, chair of ADAP’s Education and Training Committee, the framework will define what competent, safe practice looks like for General Dental Council (GDC)-registered dentists and how training can support it. The association adds that the framework is aligned with the GDC’s Scope of Practice guidance and Standards for the Dental Team.
ADAP says the framework will give dentists, training providers, universities and regulators a common reference point for expected competencies. It will also help them assess existing training and strengthen patient safety.
According to ADAP, the framework considers three career profiles. New entrants with up to two years’ experience in aesthetics; part-time practitioners working in aesthetics one or two days a week alongside dentistry; and full-time practitioners expanding their services and clinics.
In phase one, ADAP will use surveys and focus groups to map current training and practice among GDC-registered dentists. The work will inform a competency matrix, curriculum map, governance pack, training provision report and regulatory position paper.
Phase two, scheduled for April to June 2027, will extend the framework to dental therapists and hygienists in line with the GDC’s revised Scope of Practice guidance.
Dr Beckhurst commented, “Dentists bring real strengths to aesthetic practice, but the training routes are fragmented and patients deserve consistency. This framework is about setting a clear, evidence-based standard for what good looks like at every stage of a dentist’s aesthetic career.”