About DTQ

Welcome to Dental Team Qualifications (DTQ)

Any dental care professional wishing to carry out additional duties must be able to demonstrate their competence to do so, and therefore undertake additional development of their skills, knowledge and understanding. The purpose of DTQ’s qualifications is to provide a structure for dental care professionals to develop additional skills on which they are assessed, and for non-registrants to learn and develop knowledge, understanding and skills relating to dental administration and gain qualifications and professional recognition for such development.

Our focus is to develop and quality assure modern assessments and qualifications for the dental team, including apprenticeship end-point assessments; which are not only fit for purpose for 21st century dentistry, but follow evidence-based educational and assessment principles, which produce high quality members of the clinical and administrative dental team, following General Dental Council requirements.

We have extensive knowledge and experience in dentistry, including expertise in examining and designing assessments, and have a thorough understanding of what training organisations want and need from an Awarding Organisation. The GDC’s Standards for Education and Scope of Practice documents underpin the development of any new DTQ qualifications. Working closely with training providers and other key stakeholders, we have created a range of innovative qualifications that are fit for purpose for 21st century dentistry and the wider dental team. Our qualifications are geared to supporting your day to day role in dentistry, whilst enhancing your personal development and that of your team. We have researched the provision of education for the dental team as part of a PhD study, and have peer-reviewed publications which continue to underpin our evidence-based approach to training and assessment for dental professionals. Our team members examine from dental nurse through to Royal College specialty assessments and include GDC and Royal College Education Associates. We aim for excellence in all that we do.

Our Research

DTQ have pioneered and examined the pedagogy of adult dental education and training for the integrated dental team. We have extensively researched interprofessional education as part of a PhD study. Our qualifications are evidence – based relating to our findings, enabling assessments geared to facilitating educational processes which not only focus on developing knowledge, but it’s application to enhance understanding. This allows dental professionals to maximize their potential and deliver enhanced patient care. We practice exactly what we preach and have proven results based upon work in our own centres.

DTQ Mission statement

DTQ aims to provide high quality end-point assessments and qualifications for the dental profession, which reflect contemporaneous dental practice, in collaboration with the GDC and under the regulatory guidance of the Qualifications Credit Framework. Our values are to deliver excellence in all that we do. To achieve this we engage expertise in the dental education and examination field, liaise with our partner organisations, listen to our learners and continually reflect and react to improve our qualifications and processes.