FAQ for international dentists

You need to register with the General Dental Council (GDC). For most dentists who qualified outside the UK there are two routes: the Overseas Registration Examination (ORE), run for the GDC, and the Licence in Dental Surgery (LDS), awarded by the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England). Some dentists with EU or EEA qualifications may register without either exam. The GDC tells you after it assesses your qualification.

Our guide Become a dentist in the UK explains the route in seven steps.

Both lead to full GDC registration. The main differences are:

• Structure: the ORE has two parts. The LDS has three.
• Attempts: up to four at each part of the ORE. In the LDS, four at Part 1 and three each at Parts 2 and 3.
• Exam fees for one attempt at each part: about £7,567 for the ORE, including the £115 application fee, and about £4,784 for the LDS, including the £230 completion fee. Travel, accommodation, preparation and any VAT are extra.
• Part 1 format: the ORE Part 1 is taken in person. The LDS Part 1 is taken online with remote monitoring.

Most international dentists take the ORE. In 2025 it accounted for about 10% of dentists joining the GDC register, against about 2% for the LDS. See The ORE explained and The LDS explained for the full comparison.

For the ORE you upload a certified copy of your degree certificate and a UK ENIC Statement of Comparability. For the LDS you need a UK ENIC certificate if your degree is not from a UK school or from a body the GDC accepts. Read more in our article UK ENIC Statement of Comparability: what it is and why the GDC asks for it.

For the ORE, the GDC accepts a recent dental degree taught and examined entirely in English, an IELTS pass at the GDC’s required scores, or other recent proof such as practice in an English-first country. The GDC is reviewing this guidance, so check its page on English language controls before you book a test.

For the LDS, the college asks for IELTS with at least 7.0 overall and no section below 6.5, taken within the last two years, unless you are exempt. A TOEFL alternative exists.

Both routes ask for at least 1,600 hours treating patients in the dental chair. Observing or assisting does not count. Your dean (for your degree years) or an employer registered with the regulator in the country where you worked confirms the hours on a form.

The ORE is a licensing exam for dentists qualified outside the UK who want to register with the GDC and practise in the UK. It tests whether you can apply your clinical knowledge and skills at the level expected of a newly qualified UK dentist.

• Part 1: a written, theory-based exam.
• Part 2: a practical exam of clinical skills.

Dentists who qualified outside the UK and who do not have a qualification the GDC recognises for direct registration. Some dentists with EU or EEA qualifications may be able to register without the ORE. The GDC will tell you after it assesses your qualification.

• A recognised primary dental qualification.
• At least 1,600 hours of clinical experience treating patients. Observing or assisting does not count.
• Evidence of English language ability at the level the GDC requires.
• Successful verification of your documents by the GDC.
• Payment of the exam fees.

Always check the current rules on the GDC website.

Two computer-based papers covering applied clinical science and human disease. They use multiple-choice questions on diagnosis, treatment planning, ethics and evidence-based dentistry. You must pass Part 1 before you can attempt Part 2.

A practical exam with manikin-based exercises, structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), diagnosis and treatment planning, and a medical emergencies assessment. You must pass Part 2 within five years of first attempting Part 1, and you have up to four attempts at each part.

The GDC’s current fees are:

• ORE Part 1: £485
• ORE Part 2: £6,967
• Application processing fee: £115

You may also pay for travel, accommodation and preparation. Fees can change, so check the GDC website for the latest figures.

Treat it as a demanding exam. Dentistry.co.uk reports that 27% of candidates passed the ORE Part 2 sitting in September 2026, the first run under the new contractor, against 56% in April 2026 and 76% to 77% in the three sittings before that. The GDC says it refreshed the exam content and that the pass standard was set appropriately. Pass rates change from sitting to sitting. Source: Dentistry.co.uk, 21 October 2026. More detail is in The ORE explained.

You book sittings through your MyGDC account once the GDC has accepted your application. Part 1 and Part 2 sittings are held several times a year and places are limited, especially for Part 2, so plan early. The current dates and the number of places are listed in The ORE explained. Dates can change, so always check the GDC.

It depends on exam availability and how long you need to prepare. Places, especially for Part 2, are limited, so plan early. For many candidates the whole route, from first application to GDC registration, takes between one and a half and three years.

When you have passed both parts you can apply for full registration with the GDC and start work as a general dentist in the UK, in NHS or private practice. Many new dentists begin as associates before moving on to other roles or postgraduate training.

The Licence in Dental Surgery is awarded by the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. It is designed for dentists whose primary qualification is from outside the UK. Passing it allows you to register with the GDC and practise in the UK, just like the ORE.

• Part 1: online, monitored remotely. Two papers of 150 single best answer questions each. You must pass both papers in the same sitting.
• Part 2: in person at the Royal College in London, over two days. A 12-station OSCE and structured clinical reasoning with examiners.
• Part 3: in person, one day. A three-hour operative assessment on a dental manikin.

You must pass each part before you apply for the next, and you have five years from passing Part 1 to pass the rest.

The fees listed for upcoming sittings are £1,025 for Part 1, £1,793 for Part 2 and £1,736 for Part 3, plus a £230 completion fee after you pass Part 3. The RCS England pages also show lower headline fees, so check the college’s LDS page before you book. Travel, accommodation and preparation are extra.

Yes. From spring 2026 the LDS assesses the GDC’s Safe Practitioner Framework, and in Part 2 structured clinical reasoning replaced the unseen case component. Dentistry.co.uk reported that candidates complained about a lack of sample cases and feedback. The college does not publish pass rates and says the pass standard did not change. Prepare carefully for the new format.

We are looking at preparation support for the LDS alongside our ORE Preparation Programme. Tell us what you need and we will keep you informed.

GDC registration alone does not give you the right to work. You also need the right immigration status. Many overseas dentists start with a sponsoring practice on a Skilled Worker visa, which needs an eligible job offer and requires you to meet the salary and immigration rules. Rules changed in July 2025 and may change again, so check the Home Office (UKVI) website or speak to an immigration adviser.

Associates are self-employed and are usually paid by the treatment they provide. Your visa and contract decide whether you may do this and how many hours you may work.

A work visa normally allows your partner and children to join you, and children can attend state schools without fees. Check the current Home Office rules for your situation.

After five years of lawful, continuous residence you can usually apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain, which removes the time limit on your stay. After settlement you can apply for British citizenship once you meet the conditions. Many countries allow dual citizenship, so check your home country’s rules. Read more in Working as a dentist in the UK.

You cannot register on the GDC Specialist List straight from abroad. First you need full GDC registration. Then there are three routes to the list: NHS specialty training, a university programme, or a Specialist List Assessed Application. See Specialist recognition in the UK.

A hybrid programme that takes you through ORE Part 1 and Part 2 from start to finish. You study online with live and recorded lessons, and you practise the hands-on parts in person in Istanbul with tutors who travel from the UK. It is delivered by VESTA, Knightsbridge Academy and Phoenix Dental Academy, and the programme leader is Dr Anita Pradhan. See the programme.

The programme lasts six months. Cohort 4 starts on 11 January 2027 and ends on 6 July 2027. Dates may change, and we confirm the final schedule when you register.

Most of the study is online, so you can keep working at home. You travel to Istanbul only for the hands-on days: restorative dentistry and manikin training, and OSCE and medical emergencies training.

There are 20 places per cohort, offered first come, first served. The programme fee is £10,450 and flexible payment plans are available. Write to us for details.

No course can guarantee a pass, and the GDC does not require a preparation course. A good programme helps you study in the right order and practise the exact skills the examiners test.