Recertification programme
On this page, you will find all the latest information and documents relating to the recertification programme
If you hold an annual practising certificate (APC) in your scope/s of practice, you are required to participate in the recertification programme. If you do not hold a current APC for your scope/s of practice, you are not required to complete in the recertification programme although we still strongly encourage you to. This will demonstrate maintenance of competence if your intention is to return to practise in New Zealand.
All oral health practitioners who hold a current APC must:
- have and interact with a professional peer recorded with the Dental Council
- have a professional development plan (PDP)
- participate in professional development activities (PDAs)
- reflect on their professional development in writing
- have their professional peer submit an annual online confirmation of their professional development
- submit a declaration that recertification programme requirements have been met when they
- submit their APC application online.
The recertification programme is designed to be flexible, so you can design it to suit your own professional development needs and adapt your learning activities as required.
Handbook
Your recertification programme handbook is a one-stop guide to the recertification programme. It sets out what you need to do and why you need to do it. It includes guidance, decision tools, templates and examples.
The handbook details each step and requirement of the programme and includes a questions and answers section.
Quick guides
To quickly access summary information about the key programme requirements, you can use these resources:
Templates
It's your recertification programme and the Council encourages you to use whatever templates suit you.
To get you started we have prepared some sample templates that you can download, edit and save on your own computer:
- professional development plans
- example one (one-pager)
- example two (diagrammatic representation)
- example three (step-by-step process)
- keeping a log of professional development activities
- written reflection on your professional development.
The editable templates are also included in the handbook.
Step by step guides for online services
The online services portal includes your recertification programme.
We have prepared these step-by-step guides to help you manage your recertification programme requirements online:
- Nominate, change or withdraw from a professional peer relationship
- Accept or decline a professional peer relationship
- Withdrawing from a relationship as a professional peer
- Submit a professional peer confirmation
- Submit an annual declaration for your recertification programme
- How to become a volunteer or stop being a volunteer for others
Policy
Details of the recertification programme are set out in the Recertification of oral health practitioners policy.
Previous updates
The recertification programme was introduced in 2021 and is a significant departure from previous recertification programmes which required a quota of continuing professional development hours and peer interactions. You can read more about the evidence base that supports the programme design here.
Engagement and compliance with the new recertification programme has been overwhelmingly positive. However, we continue to reflect on the changes and welcome feedback.
Links to previous updates
Recertification update 28 November 2023
Recertification update 2 July 2020
Recertification update 5 May 2020 (COVID-19)
Recertification update 18 February 2020
Recertification update 12 December 2019
Recertification update 23 September 2019