What is safeguarding in dentistry?
Safeguarding in dentistry means protecting children and adults at risk from abuse, neglect and exploitation. It covers how the dental team notices when a patient may be at risk, responds to that concern and passes it on. It applies to every member of the practice, not just the clinicians.
This guide explains what dental safeguarding is and what it involves day to day. It then covers which training level each role needs and what the CQC and GDC expect. Finally, it looks at how to recognise and respond to dental neglect.
Need training for your practice? Our Level 1 and Level 2 Safeguarding for Dentists courses are written for dental teams. Each one counts as 3 hours of verifiable CPD. Request a free trial for your practice.
What is dental safeguarding?
Dental safeguarding is the set of duties, systems and everyday habits that keep patients safe from harm. It is proactive rather than reactive. You are not waiting for something serious to happen. You are staying alert, noticing when something does not add up and acting early.
In a dental practice, safeguarding covers four things:
- Recognising the signs of abuse, harm and neglect in children and adults at risk.
- Responding appropriately when a patient discloses something or you notice a concern.
- Recording what you saw or heard, accurately and at the time.
- Referring the concern to your safeguarding lead, or to social care where needed.
Behind all of that sit the practice systems: a safeguarding policy, a named lead, up-to-date training and clear local contacts.
Safeguarding or child protection: what is the difference?
People use the two terms as though they mean the same thing. They do not, quite.
| Safeguarding | Child protection |
|---|---|
| Everything you do to prevent harm and promote welfare. | What you do when a specific child is suffering, or at risk of suffering, significant harm. |
| Applies to every patient, all of the time. | Applies to individual cases where there is a concern. |
| Proactive and preventive. | Reactive and case-specific. |
Child protection sits inside safeguarding. For more on the distinction, read our guide to the difference between child protection and safeguarding training.
Who does safeguarding apply to in a dental practice?
Everyone. If you work in a dental practice in any capacity, safeguarding is part of your role. That includes dentists, dental nurses, hygienists, therapists, receptionists, practice managers, cleaners, trainees and volunteers.
A receptionist may be the first to notice that a family keeps cancelling a child’s appointments. A dental nurse may be the person a patient chooses to confide in. Neither needs to decide whether abuse has happened. Both need to know what to do next.
What types of abuse should dental teams know about?
Dental safeguarding covers the same categories as safeguarding anywhere else:
- Physical abuse, which often leaves marks in and around the mouth.
- Emotional abuse, including persistent criticism, humiliation or rejection.
- Sexual abuse, which can sometimes present with oral signs.
- Neglect, including dental neglect, covered in detail below.
- Exploitation, including criminal and sexual exploitation of young people.
- Adult-specific harms, such as financial abuse, domestic abuse, modern slavery and self-neglect.
You are not expected to diagnose any of these. You are expected to notice, record and report.
Why safeguarding matters in dentistry
Dental teams are in an unusual position. You see patients regularly, often over many years. You also examine the head, face, neck and mouth closely, and a large share of physical abuse injuries in children affect these areas. For some families, you may be the only health professional they see regularly.
Missed appointments matter too. They are the most common reason dentists make a child protection referral. That makes the dental team an important safety net.
What safeguarding training do dental staff need?
Dental practices sit inside the UK healthcare safeguarding frameworks, which use numbered levels from 1 to 5. Two intercollegiate documents set them out: one for children, updated in November 2025, and one for adults, updated in 2024. The staff groups in each level are examples rather than fixed rules. Your practice decides which level each role needs.
| Role in the practice | Children | Adults |
|---|---|---|
| Receptionists and administrative staff | Level 2 (the 2025 framework lists reception staff at Level 2) | Level 1 |
| Practice managers and non-clinical support staff | Level 1, or Level 2 with more involvement | Level 1 or 2 |
| Dental nurses | Level 2 | Level 2 |
| Dental hygienists and therapists | Level 2 | Level 2 |
| Dentists | Level 2 or 3, depending on duties | Level 2 (some dentists Level 3) |
| Paediatric, community and special care dentists | Level 3 | Level 2 or 3 |
| The practice safeguarding lead | Level 2 as a minimum. Consider Level 3 | Level 2 as a minimum. Consider Level 3 |
For how the levels work across healthcare generally, read our guide to safeguarding training levels 1 to 5.
Level 1 for dental teams
Level 1 is the foundation, and everyone in the practice needs it. It covers the types and signs of abuse, harm and neglect. You also learn who to report a concern to and the basics of the law. Cleaners, receptionists, trainees and volunteers all need it.
Level 2 for dental teams
Level 2 builds on Level 1 and focuses on responding. It covers acting on a concern, recording it, sharing information, and making a referral. All clinical staff need at least Level 2 for both children and adults.
When does a dental professional need Level 3?
The 2025 children’s framework changed the picture here. It expects Level 3 from all staff who deliver a clinical service to children. It also names dentists as an example of practitioners with specific responsibility for children. Separately, it lists dental services among the roles that may span Levels 2 and 3, depending on duties.
In practice, consider Level 3 if you:
- regularly treat children, especially younger children and those with complex needs
- work in paediatric, community or special care dentistry
- act as the practice safeguarding lead
- work in a setting where you often see children who are already known to social care
Level 3 cannot normally be met by e-learning alone, because the frameworks expect live or interactive learning as well. Our online dental courses do not extend to Level 3, 4 or 5. Read our guide to level 3 safeguarding training for what it involves.
What the CQC expects from dental practices
The CQC’s dental mythbuster 29 covers safeguarding for adults, children and young people. It was updated in September 2025 to combine the two previous mythbusters. Safeguarding falls under Regulation 13, and the CQC assesses it as part of the “safe” key question.
When inspectors visit, they need to see that:
- every member of staff can demonstrate their competence in safeguarding
- the practice has a named member of staff as the designated safeguarding lead
- that lead knows the safeguarding leads in the local integrated care system and local authority
- staff take a proactive approach, focusing on prevention and early identification
- staff respond to signs or allegations of abuse and record what they find
- the practice takes part in local safeguarding procedures and works with other organisations
The CQC says practices must make sure all staff have the appropriate level of competence for their role, including through face-to-face training. It points to the intercollegiate frameworks for the minimum training each role needs, and it expects practices to meet them.
Do you have to notify the CQC of a safeguarding referral?
Not always, and this catches practices out. You only need to notify the CQC when the alleged abuse relates to your provision of care. You do not need to tell the CQC about every referral you make to the local authority.
| Situation | Notify CQC? |
|---|---|
| You refer a child to social care after spotting unexplained bruising. | No. The abuse did not happen during your care. Follow your normal safeguarding process. |
| A patient discloses that their partner hit them. | No. Follow your safeguarding and domestic abuse procedures. |
| A parent alleges a member of your staff contacted their child inappropriately. | Yes. The allegation involves an employee and your regulated activity. |
| A nurse restrains an agitated patient and bruises her arm. | Yes. Report it even if the abuse is alleged rather than proven. |
What the GDC expects
The GDC’s Standards for the Dental Team place safeguarding under Principle 8. That principle covers raising concerns if patients are at risk. Two clauses apply directly:
- 8.5.1 You must raise any concerns about the possible abuse or neglect of children or vulnerable adults. You must know who to contact for advice and how to refer to an appropriate authority.
- 8.5.2 You must find out about local procedures for protecting children and vulnerable adults, and follow them if you suspect someone is at risk.
The GDC also lists safeguarding children and young people, and safeguarding vulnerable adults, among its recommended CPD topics. It does not set a number of hours for them, unlike medical emergencies or decontamination.
How safeguarding fits your CPD cycle
Under the Enhanced CPD scheme, your minimum verifiable hours over a five-year cycle depend on your title:
- dentists: 100 hours
- dental hygienists, therapists, orthodontic therapists and clinical dental technicians: 75 hours
- dental nurses and dental technicians: 50 hours
You also need at least 10 hours of verifiable CPD in any two-year period. Both of our dental courses count as 3 hours of verifiable CPD each and meet Development Outcome A.
One change to watch: in June 2026 the GDC consulted on replacing Standards for the Dental Team with a new Framework for Professionalism. The current standards still apply. Check the GDC website for updates.
Dental neglect: what it is and when to report it
Dental neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic oral health needs. It reaches the point where their health or development suffers. It is not the same as a child simply having tooth decay. Many families face real barriers to care, including cost, access, anxiety, and disability.
The British Society of Paediatric Dentistry updated its policy on dental neglect in 2024. It recommends a tiered response with three stages, matched to your level of concern:
- Preventive dental team response. You raise your concerns with the parent or carer, explain why the treatment matters, give intensive preventive advice and set clear expectations. You keep a careful record.
- Preventive multi-agency response. If concerns continue, you share information with other professionals, such as the health visitor, school nurse or GP, and agree a joint plan.
- Child protection referral. If the child remains at risk, you refer to children’s social care under local procedures.
Four questions to ask yourself
Guidance for dental teams suggests these questions as a starting point when you are unsure whether to refer:
- Has there been a delay in seeking dental advice that nobody can explain satisfactorily?
- Does the history change over time, or fail to explain the injury or illness?
- When you examine the child, are there injuries you cannot explain?
- Are you concerned about the child’s behaviour, or how they interact with their parent or carer?
If you answer yes to any of them, discuss it with a colleague and follow your local child protection procedures. If every answer is no, diagnose and treat as usual.
“Was not brought” rather than “did not attend”
The BDA encourages dental teams to record a child’s missed appointment as “was not brought” rather than “did not attend”. The wording matters. A child cannot bring themselves to the surgery, so a missed appointment is about the adults around them.
The change also prompts you to build a chronology. Record each missed appointment with the date, so you see a pattern rather than isolated events. Missed appointments often appear in serious case reviews. They are also the most common trigger for a dental child protection referral.
Treat a single missed appointment as what it usually is: an ordinary mix-up. Repeated absences, especially where treatment is needed, deserve a closer look.
Signs to look out for in the dental chair
Your clinical position gives you a view few other professionals get. Watch for:
- Orofacial injuries. Bruising to the face, ears, neck or lips, torn labial frenum, bite marks, burns, or injuries at different stages of healing.
- Injuries that do not fit the explanation. The account given does not match what you see, or it changes between visits.
- Untreated, severe or worsening decay, especially when the family has been told about it before and treatment has been offered.
- Repeated failure to complete treatment, including not returning after extractions or a general anaesthetic.
- Behaviour that concerns you, such as a child who is withdrawn, fearful, or interacts oddly with their parent or carer.
- Signs of neglect more broadly, such as a child who is persistently unkempt, dirty or inadequately dressed.
You are not expected to diagnose abuse. Your job is to notice, record and pass the concern on.
Safeguarding adults at risk in dental practice
Safeguarding is not only about children. Dental teams also see adults who may be at risk. That includes older patients, people with learning disabilities, people with dementia and people experiencing domestic abuse.
At Level 2, you should be able to act on immediate risk and support advocacy where someone has communication needs. You should also apply mental capacity principles to everyday decisions and know how to refer to adult social care. Finally, you need to know what to do if you have concerns about a colleague.
Both of our dental courses combine child and adult safeguarding, so you cover both in one place.
New duties to be aware of in 2026
- Mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse. The Crime and Policing Act 2026 received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026. It creates a duty for people in regulated activity with children in England to report child sexual abuse they witness or that a child discloses to them. Clinical dental staff who treat children are likely to be in scope. The duty needs commencement regulations before it takes effect, so watch for government guidance.
- Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026. The Department for Education published this on 18 March 2026, replacing the 2023 version. It sets out how health professionals work within local safeguarding arrangements.
- The 2025 children’s framework. Review your training needs analysis against it, particularly for reception staff and for clinicians who regularly treat children.
Setting up safeguarding in your practice
- Appoint a safeguarding lead and a deputy to cover absences. The CQC expects every practice to have one.
- Write down your local contacts. Include children’s social care, adult social care, the local authority designated officer and the police. Keep them somewhere the whole team can find them quickly.
- Complete a training needs analysis. Record which level each role needs and why. This is what inspectors ask to see.
- Train everyone, then keep records. Store certificates centrally with renewal dates.
- Review your policy each year, and after any change in national guidance.
- Talk about safeguarding at team meetings. Discussing near misses and concerns builds the culture inspectors look for.
Our learning management system holds certificates centrally and sends automatic reminders when training is due. That makes the evidence side much easier.
How often should dental teams refresh safeguarding training?
There is no single national expiry date. The 2025 children’s framework recommends a yearly update for Levels 1 and 2. The adults’ framework spreads learning over three years. It suggests about 2 hours for Level 1 and 3 hours for Level 2.
Most practices work on a two-year or three-year renewal cycle. Our certificates last two years. That fits comfortably inside both frameworks and gives you a clear date to work to.
Our dental safeguarding courses
| Level 1 Safeguarding for Dentists | Level 2 Safeguarding for Dentists | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Every member of the practice team | Clinical staff, and non-clinical staff with more involvement with children or adults at risk |
| Covers | Legislation, types of abuse, signs and indicators, responding to concerns | The safeguarding lead role, referrals, working with agencies, allegations and complaints |
| Time | Around 2 to 3 hours | Around 2 to 3 hours |
| CPD | 3 hours verifiable, Development Outcome A | 3 hours verifiable, Development Outcome A |
| Price | £35 + VAT | £40 + VAT |
| Prerequisite | None | Take it alongside Level 1 |
Both courses combine child and adult safeguarding and include variants for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Each gives you a certificate valid for two years. Bulk discounts start at 10 courses. See all our dental safeguarding training.
Sources and further reading
- Dental mythbuster 29: Safeguarding adults, children and young people at risk, CQC
- Safeguarding children and young people: competencies for health care staff (2025), RCPCH
- Adult Safeguarding: Roles and Competencies for Health Care Staff (2024), RCN
- Safeguarding in general dental practice, GOV.UK
- Was not brought: safeguarding resources, British Dental Association
- A policy document on dental neglect in children (2024), British Society of Paediatric Dentistry
- Recommended CPD topics, General Dental Council
Related guides
- What is level 2 safeguarding training? Levels 1 to 5 explained
- What is level 3 safeguarding training?
- Dental safeguarding training courses
Not sure which course your team needs? Call us on 01327 552030, email hello@smarthorizons.co.uk, use live chat or send us a message.
Dental safeguarding FAQs
Safeguarding basics
Safeguarding in dentistry means protecting children and adults at risk from abuse, neglect and exploitation. It covers recognising the signs of harm, responding to concerns, recording them accurately and referring them to the right people. It applies to everyone in the practice, not just clinical staff.
Dental safeguarding is the set of duties, systems and everyday practices that keep dental patients safe from harm. It includes having a safeguarding policy, a named safeguarding lead, up-to-date training for all staff and clear local contacts for making a referral.
Safeguarding is everything you do to prevent harm and promote welfare for all patients. Child protection is what you do when a specific child is suffering, or at risk of suffering, significant harm. Child protection sits inside safeguarding.
Everyone. Every member of the team has a duty to recognise and report concerns, including receptionists, practice managers, cleaners, trainees and volunteers. The practice must also have a designated safeguarding lead who advises colleagues and handles referrals.
Recognise, respond, record and refer. Recognise the signs of abuse or neglect, respond appropriately when someone discloses or you spot a concern, record what you saw or heard at the time, and refer it to your safeguarding lead or social care.
Training levels
Dentists need at least Level 2 for both children and adults. The 2025 children’s framework says dental roles may span Levels 2 and 3, and gives dentists as an example at Level 3. Consider Level 3 if you regularly treat children, work in paediatric or special care dentistry, or lead safeguarding in your practice.
Dental nurses work in a clinical capacity, so they need at least Level 2 safeguarding training for both children and adults. This builds on Level 1, so the Level 1 content must be covered first or within the same course.
Yes. Every member of a dental practice needs at least Level 1. The 2025 children’s framework lists reception staff at Level 2 for children’s safeguarding, so receptionists in practices that see children may need more than Level 1.
CQC and GDC requirements
Yes, in effect. Safeguarding falls under Regulation 13, and the CQC expects practices to meet the minimum training set out in the intercollegiate frameworks for each role. Inspectors need to see that all staff can demonstrate their competence in safeguarding.
Yes. The CQC says each practice should have a member of staff who is the designated lead for safeguarding, to advise and support colleagues. That person should know the safeguarding leads in the local integrated care system and local authority.
No. You only need to notify the CQC when the alleged abuse relates to your provision of care, such as an allegation against a member of your staff. You do not need to report every referral you make to the local authority.
Yes. The GDC lists safeguarding children and young people, and safeguarding vulnerable adults, among its recommended CPD topics, although it does not set a number of hours. Our dental courses each count as 3 hours of verifiable CPD and meet Development Outcome A.
Dental neglect and missed appointments
Dental neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic oral health needs, to the point where their health or development is harmed. It is not the same as a child having tooth decay, because families can face genuine barriers to care such as cost, access, anxiety or disability.
Use the tiered approach recommended by the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry. Start with a dental team response of raising concerns and giving preventive support. Escalate to a multi-agency response if concerns continue, and refer to children’s social care if the child remains at risk. Refer sooner if you see unexplained injuries or an unexplained delay in seeking care.
It is the term the BDA encourages dental teams to use instead of did not attend when a child misses an appointment. A child cannot bring themselves to the surgery, so the wording keeps the focus on the adults responsible. It also prompts teams to record dates and build a chronology.
They can be. A single missed appointment is usually an ordinary mix-up. Repeated absences, especially where treatment is needed or the child does not return after extractions, may indicate neglect. Missed appointments are the most common reason dentists make a child protection referral.
Courses and renewal
There is no single national expiry date. The 2025 children’s framework recommends a yearly update for Levels 1 and 2, and the adults’ framework spreads learning over three years. Most practices renew every two or three years, and our certificates are valid for two years.
Yes, for Levels 1 and 2. Both frameworks allow these levels to be delivered online, face to face or as a mix. Level 3 and above cannot normally be met by e-learning alone, because the frameworks expect live or interactive learning too.
Level 2 builds on Level 1, so clinical staff should take both. Level 1 alone is enough for staff with limited contact with children and adults at risk, such as some non-clinical roles.
Last updated: September 2026. This guide summarises current guidance for dental teams in the UK. Always check the full guidance and your practice’s training needs analysis for your specific role.