Overseas registration exam FAQs

Dentists who hold a non-UK primary dental qualification will be required to pass the ORE before applying for registration, unless it is a:

• Relevant European Diploma (see V.3. Annex V of Directive 2005/36/EC at 11pm GMT on 31 December 2020).
• Recognised overseas diploma.

Swiss dentists who do not hold such qualifications may be eligible to have their degree assessed on an individual basis. This is known as Individual Assessment. However, you should be aware that this is not a guaranteed route to registration, and unsuccessful applicants are required to sit the ORE.

See below for alternatives to the ORE.

Use the Route to Registration questionnaire to find out more.

You can use the Licence in Dental Surgery to apply for registration.

You may also be able to join the Batchelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) (international Route) offered by the University of Lancashire (UCLAN) which is designed for overseas qualified dentists and allows entry to the UCLAN BDS programme after the third year. It will provide you with a UK qualification and allow registration as a UK qualified dentist. 

You will be charged an application processing fee when you apply.

You will also be charged examination fees for each sitting.

Review details about fees before you apply.

You will need to pay the application processing fee when you apply to become and eligible ORE candidate. The fee is not refundable.

You will be asked to pay the full examination fee at the time of the booking. You should review the ORE withdrawal policy and the ORE refund policy before making your booking.

Credit or debit card payments must be made online using eGDC. We do not accept American Express or Diners Club International. We cannot accept credit or debit card details given over the phone.

You need to pass ORE Part 2 within five years of first attempting the ORE Part 1.

Part 1 is held at King’s College London.

Part 2 is administered by The Consortium, and the four components are held at separate venues in London, all near to each other.

If you fail either Part 1 or Part 2 of the ORE four times, you will not be given the opportunity to sit the ORE again.

We do not provide preparation courses.

You may find preparation training courses are available, but we do not recommend, endorse or accredit any particular course or provider.

Find out more about preparation and ORE results. 

There are no exemptions for candidates who have a Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (MFDS) or any other membership diplomas or non-membership examinations.

You can use the Licence in Dental Surgery to apply for registration. 

​You can apply to become an ORE candidate at any time.

Review the information provided before you apply.  

We also provide guidance on how to apply.

​You do not have to provide any health documents before sitting the ORE. It does not involve any assessment using a real patient.

You will need to provide health information when applying for registration. 

​If your ORE application is rejected, you will be given the reasons why and advised on what you need to do to have your application accepted. 

The application processing fee is not refundable. We will allow one resubmission without charge, if returned within 28 days. 

It currently takes around 60 working days for us to process an ORE application. It will take much longer if there are missing or expired supporting documents.

Find out more about how to apply. 

​If you pass each part of the ORE on your first attempt, you could complete it in around six to 12 months. However, demand for places on the ORE is currently extremely high, which means securing a place on a particular sitting of the ORE is likely to be difficult over the next 12 months or more.

It can take several years to pass the ORE if you are not able to secure a place immediately or you do not pass on your first attempt.

It may sometimes be necessary to limit the number of attempts a candidate can have over a six- to 12-month period to allow other candidates the chance to book a place.

We will send you two emails containing details and instructions for how to create an eGDC account. When set up, you can login and check for the next available sitting and when the booking window will open. All bookings for sittings of the ORE are made through eGDC.

Demand for places on the ORE is currently extremely high. There are a significant number of candidates who want to book a place, which means securing a place on a particular sitting of the ORE is likely to be difficult over the next 12 months or more.

All places have been taken up within 30 minutes of a booking window opening this year. We provide priority places for those who are approaching the five-year time limit to ensure they get an opportunity to complete the ORE. You will be notified in advance of the booking window opening if you are a priority candidate.

Booking windows open eight weeks in advance of each sitting. We provide advanced notice of when the booking window will open by email and you will find the latest information on our website.  

We do not suspend candidates from the candidate list for not booking onto an available examination. 

No. We do not accept applications for appeals against academic judgements.

​Yes. A complaint may be raised on the grounds of serious defect in procedure that has led to a candidate being disadvantaged, or on the grounds of discrimination. 

Contact us for our complaints policy and process.

We are unable to advise on visas.

You are responsible for ensuring you are allowed to be in the UK to take the ORE that you have booked. If you pay an examination fee and have not been able to obtain a visa, you will not be refunded. Make sure you can obtain a visa before you booking your place.  

You must be registered before you can practise dentistry in the UK.

You may be able to apply for temporary registration.

Dentists who want to work in the National Health Service (NHS) in England, Wales or Scotland or Health and Social Care (HSC) in Northern Ireland will need to be on a Performers List.

You will need to apply to:

• NHS Primary Care Support England
• NHS Primary Care Services Wales
• NHS Dental Board List in Scotland
• HSC Dental List in Northern Ireland

You will also find advice on Performer Lists from the Committee of Postgraduate Dental Deans and Directors (COPDEND).