Last updated: November 2026 · Written by Laxmi Hanji, dental compliance consultant
Every dental practice registered with the CQC needs someone in charge of the day-to-day running of its regulated activities. In most cases that person must be registered as the practice’s CQC registered manager. It is a legal role with real responsibilities, and it is often taken on by a practice manager or a principal dentist without a clear picture of what it involves.
This guide covers who can be a registered manager, what the CQC checks, what the role involves once you are registered, and how to prepare for the CQC interview.
Who needs to be a CQC registered manager?
The CQC’s guidance for new managers says you need to register as a manager if you are in charge of the day-to-day running of regulated activities at a location. You cannot manage those activities until the CQC has confirmed your registration.
The registered manager does not have to be a dentist. Many dental practices register their practice manager, as long as that person has the right skills and experience.
The legal test: being “fit” to manage
Regulation 7 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 says a person can only manage a regulated activity as a registered manager if they are fit to do so. That means they must:
- Be of good character
- Have the necessary qualifications, competence, skills and experience
- Be able, because of their health and after reasonable adjustments, to do the job
- Be able to provide the information the CQC requires about them
What the application involves
According to the CQC, applicants need:
- An enhanced DBS check, countersigned by the CQC, with the certificate issued in the last 12 months
- A full work history from age 16, with any gaps of more than four weeks explained
- Contact details for their GP and last employer
- Copies of relevant qualifications and training
The CQC warns that applicants can be fined up to £2,500 for giving false or misleading information. After you apply, the CQC reviews the application, may ask for more information, arranges an interview and then confirms its decision by email. It says the assessment “can take a few months”, so plan ahead if a manager is leaving.
Which form you use depends on your situation. A new manager for a new or existing provider uses the new registered manager application. Where a new provider takes over and the existing manager stays in post, there is a separate route for continuing under the new provider.
What a CQC registered manager is responsible for
Once registered, the manager shares legal responsibility with the provider for making sure the practice meets the regulations. Day to day, that usually covers:
- Governance: policies, audits, risk assessments and action plans. Our guide to dental practice policies and procedures covers the policy side.
- Staff: safe recruitment, training records, appraisals and making sure staff know their roles
- Safety systems: infection control, medical emergencies, radiation protection, fire and health and safety
- Complaints and incidents: handling them, learning from them and applying the duty of candour
- Notifications: telling the CQC about notifiable incidents and changes
- Registration details: keeping the statement of purpose accurate
Absences: the 28-day rule
Regulation 14 of the CQC (Registration) Regulations 2009 covers planned and unplanned absences. If the registered manager will be away for 28 days or more in a row, for example on maternity leave or long-term sick leave, the CQC must be told in writing:
- Planned absence: at least 28 days before it starts, unless the CQC agrees a shorter period
- Emergency absence: within 5 working days
- Return to work: within 7 working days of returning
The notice must give the length of and reason for the absence, who will manage the practice in the meantime, and, where the manager is leaving, the plans for appointing a replacement.
Preparing for the CQC interview
The interview is the CQC’s chance to check that you understand the role and can meet the fitness requirements. The CQC does not publish a fixed list of questions, but you should be able to talk confidently about:
- The regulations: the fundamental standards and the five key questions, and how your practice meets each one
- Your systems: how infection control, medical emergencies, safeguarding and complaints actually work in your practice
- Risk: how you identify risks, record them and check that actions are completed
- Staff: how you recruit safely, check registrations and track training
- Oversight: how you would know if something was going wrong, for example through audits, meetings and feedback
- Your own experience: why your background makes you suitable for the role
The most useful preparation is to walk through your own practice’s systems and be ready to give real examples, rather than reciting the regulations. The CQC’s dental mythbusters are also worth reading beforehand, because they show how inspectors interpret the rules.
Common questions
Can a practice manager be the registered manager?
Yes. The registered manager does not need to be a dentist, but they must meet the fitness requirements in Regulation 7 and pass the CQC’s checks.
How long does registered manager registration take?
The CQC says its assessment can take a few months. It does not publish a fixed timescale.
What happens if the registered manager leaves?
You must notify the CQC, and a new manager will need to apply for registration. Start the process as early as you can, because the new manager cannot manage regulated activities until they are registered. Our guide to CQC registration for dental practices covers the wider process.
Preparing for a registered manager interview, or taking on the role for the first time? Our CQC compliance support includes interview preparation and help setting up the systems you will be asked about. Get in touch to talk it through.
General information only, not legal advice. Check the latest CQC guidance and forms before applying.
