Postgraduate programme

Our Postgraduate Programme, The Denplan Stairway Programme, is a valuable and unique opportunity for you to further your skills and qualifications.  It's an easy and flexible way to gain extra verifiable CPD hours in a way that suits you.

And because it's officially recognised by both the University of Birmingham and the Faculty of General Dental Practice, you can earn 20 educational credits towards either an MSc in Primary Dental Care from the University of Birmingham or the FGDP Stage 2 Career Pathway.

Programme structure

The programme is for registered dentists and is made up of 10 elements. To complete a unit of the Denplan Stairway Programme (apart from Element 7) you will need to:

  • Attend one of the Denplan Stairway Study Days (lead by professional trainers and experts in the field), the National Conference or complete the online course
  • Complete the relevant practice project which you will be given
  • Email it back to stairway@denplan.co.uk with a completed evaluation form
  • Dr Mike Busby, the Programme Co-ordinator, will then validate the project and register your credits
  • You'll then receive your CPD certificate
  • Once you've built up 20 educational credits you'll receive the Denplan Stairway Award

What does the Denplan Stairway Programme include?

The 10 elements are as follows:

Units 1 to 5:

  • Attendance at the Denplan Stairway Study Day of your choice:
  1. Risk and Reward 
  2. CPD Essentials (attendance of different years can all be counted seperately as the programme evolves each year)
  3. Radiology 
  4. Good Foundations 
  5. Challenging Restorations 
  • Completion of a practice project (details on the individual event pages)
  • 20 hours CPD in total (six for attending, 14 for the practice project)
  • Worth two educational credits
  • You can attend any event - they are held in hotels close to the major road networks to allow for travelling from a distance

Element 6

  • Full attendance at a Denplan National Conference (attendance of different years count seperately as each one has a different programme)
  • Completion of a Personal Development Profile (PDP)
  • 20 hours CPD (12 for attending, eight for the PDP)
  • Worth two educational credits

Element 7

  • Ongoing Denplan Excel Accreditation - you must be Excel accredited at the time the Stairway Award is given
  • Worth four educational credits

Elements 8 to 10

  • Completion of a private study course, available via our website
  • 20 hours CPD
  • Worth two educational credits

Do I have to complete the programme in a particular timeframe?

No. There's no commitment to complete the programme, and you can take as long as you want to complete it. If you prefer, you can complete the practice projects just to earn the extra CPD hours.

Elements of the programme will change and evolve over time giving

Can other members of my team take part?

Other members of your team can attend the events. However, only registered dentists who attend can complete the practice project to get the extra CPD hours and gain the Denplan Stairway Award.

Where can I find out more?

For more information about what will be covered at the events, you can view the individual event pages linked below. Or if you have any questions about the Denplan Stairway Programme, contact a member of the Training and Events team on 0800 169 5697