Information for refugee dental professionals

To work as a dental professional in the UK you need to be registered. Dental professionals who are refugees will need to apply for registration before practising dentistry in the UK. Part of our role is facilitating access to the UK registers, and ensuring that overseas qualified dental professionals meet the standards that maintain public safety. 

Routes to registration are set out in legislation. That legislation does not provide for separate or faster routes to registration for refugees or those seeking asylum. Dentists who qualify overseas may need to pass the Overseas Registration Examination (ORE) (see below) before applying for UK registration. You can use these routes to registration, and we want to support you in your application, wherever possible. 

There are fees associated with:

applying for the ORE
sitting examinations
applying for registration
annual renewal of registration.

We will require certain information and documents when you apply (see below). We understand you may face difficulties in providing original documentation. If you are having issues, please contact us and we will help you to consider how you might meet the requirements. 

Routes to registration for dentists 

Qualifications from the UK and most European Economic Area countries are recognised for the purposes of registration and are unaffected by your status as a refugee. We also recognise some overseas qualifications from certain countries gained before 2001.

Dentists with qualifications from elsewhere will need to pass one of following before applying for registration:

Overseas Registration Examination (ORE): You will need to apply to become an ORE candidate, and pay an application processing fee. You will also need to pay for each ORE sitting. If a charity or organisation is assisting you to pay examination fees, please let us know as soon as the booking window opening date has been announced. We will ask for evidence of your refugee status.
Licence in Dental Surgery: From the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

You may be able to apply for temporary registration, where the offer of an approved supervised post has been made. Find out more about temporary registration.

Use the Route to Registration questionnaire to check your qualifications.

Find out more about how to join the register.

Eligibility for ORE priority booking

The GDC is committed to supporting dental professionals with refugee status in their journey to join the UK register. To facilitate this, the GDC has introduced a policy designed to help qualified professionals who have been granted international protection in the UK. This policy aims to eliminate unnecessary barriers for those unable to return to their home country to practise.

You may qualify for priority booking if you have been granted refugee status by the Home Office. This includes individuals with:

Refugee status under the 1951 United Nations Convention
Humanitarian protection
Indefinite leave to remain or enter (with refugee status)
UK resettlement schemes, such as the Afghanistan and Ukraine schemes

How to apply for ORE priority booking

Eligible candidates who are on the ORE candidate lists can apply for priority booking for up to two attempts at each part of the ORE. These attempts are part of a candidate’s permitted four attempts at each part of the ORE. Priority is granted after spaces are allocated to other candidates approaching the end of their five-year eligibility period.

To access priority booking, you must provide evidence of your refugee status by submitting either:

A screenshot of your e-visa with a share code
A photo of the front and back of your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) and a letter from the Home Office and a share code.

The GDC will verify the documentation before granting priority access. Candidates will receive further information from the GDC about the submission process and deadlines prior to each exam sitting. Details can also be found on the ORE latest information page when the booking window opens.

Route to registration for dental care professionals 

The dental team is made up of dentists and dental care professionals (DCPs).  

See the list of DCP titles used in the UK.  

UK qualifications for any DCP roles are recognised for the purposes of registration and are unaffected by your status as a refugee. If you have a relevant overseas DCP qualification, you will need to apply for  individual assessment to register. You cannot use a dentists’ qualification to apply for registration as a DCP. 

Use the  Route to Registration questionnaire for details.  

Find out more about  how to join the register.  

Organisations that may provide support 

The organisations below offer support to refugees and asylum seekers who hold professional qualifications. You should get in contact with them if you need further support. 

Refugee Council  provides free advice and information to refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK.
Refugee Assessment and Guidance Unit  provides specialist careers advice and guidance as well as employability training for all refugee health professionals.
British Dental Association  offers free membership for refugee or dentists seeking asylum until the registration process has been completed.
Council for Assisting Refugee Academics provides information, advice and practical help to refugee academics to assist them in rebuilding their lives and careers. 
Bridges Programmes supports the social, educational and economic integration of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants living in Glasgow.
BDA Benevolent Fund offers financial and wellbeing assistance to asylum seeker and refugee dentists.