Indemnity versus registration

Registration is the act of registering or recording someone or something on a register – a word derived from the Latin registrum. A vehicle registration plate (number plate) is perhaps the most common evidence that something is registered – in this case the vehicle is registered on the DVLA database and given a unique code (think DE11 TST or DEN 715T!).

To vote in elections, you have to be listed on a particular register – often referred to as the electoral role. Most registers require people to fulfil certain criteria before their name can be added and if their circumstances change they may be removed. This is where the GDC's register comes in. To work as a dental nurse (or a dentist, clinical dental technician, dental hygienist, dental technician, dental therapist, and orthodontic therapist) in the UK, you have to be registered with the GDC. This wasn't always the case and, a few hundred years ago, blacksmiths and barbers were the ones pulling rotten teeth – there not being any alternative treatment for decay. Before your name can go on the GDC register, you require a recognised qualification for the role you intend to perform. There are different qualifications for a dental nurse in England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland, although the City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Dental Nursing (QCF) is common to the first three.