GDC publishes outcome of call for evidence on Overseas Registration Examination (ORE)

We have reviewed the feedback from our recent call for evidence on the structure and operation of the Overseas Registration Examination (ORE) with the publication of our outcome report.  

While no significant demand for immediate structural changes has been identified, there is a clear desire for improvements in the examination's availability, which will guide our strategic planning for the future development of a comprehensive framework for international routes to registration.    

Using legislation changes in 2023 to introduce new rules for registration of dentists and dental care professionals who qualify overseas, the GDC has increased the ORE capacity, proving a crucial step in modernising the international registration process, with more flexible contracts in place for the delivery of the ORE in 2025.  

“With public protection as our overriding priority, hearing about and learning from the experiences of ORE candidates and those who want to register in the UK is incredibly important to us. We will not compromise on the standards for entry to the UK register, but the application process should be no more burdensome than is necessary to achieve that. The report will inform our future approach to registration for internationally qualified dentists and dental care professionals,” said Stefan Czerniawski, Executive Director of Strategy at the GDC.   

We are also calling for an indication of the Government’s plans for provisional registration for overseas qualified dentists.     

“The proposals for provisional registration would provide an additional and alternate route to registration for dentists who want to work in the UK, but it is a complex solution that will take time to deliver and will only work effectively if delivered in collaboration with the sector.”  

We will consider how rules on the ORE could be made more flexible for candidates on the number of attempts and reapplying where a candidate has reached the time limit or exhausted all attempts, while ensuring that international registration processes are efficient, fair and maintain high standards to protect patients.   

There are no immediate plans to introduce a practical test for internationally qualified dental hygienists and therapists, but the option will continue to be considered as part of the longer-term work on international registration.