ORE (Overseas Registration Exam)

The General Dental Council (GDC) says most applicants whose primary dental qualification was not gained in the UK or EEA need to pass the ORE before applying for registration. It has two parts:

• Part 1 tests application of knowledge to clinical practice. It is two computer-based papers, each lasting three hours: Paper A on dental science and human disease, and Paper B on clinical dentistry, including law, ethics and health and safety. You must pass both to progress. Part 1 is held at venues in London.
• Part 2 tests practical clinical skills at the UCL Eastman Dental Institute. It has four components: an operative test on a dental manikin (three procedures over three hours), an OSCE, a diagnostic and treatment planning exercise with an actor, and a practical medical emergencies test.

Part 1 results give a percentage mark for each paper and an overall pass or fail. The GDC does not give feedback itself, but its Part 1 supplier provides feedback around 21 working days after results are released. Places at Part 2 are limited: the GDC lists 144 places for the September 2026 sitting and 200 per sitting from November 2026 to April 2027.

1. Set up a GDC online account and apply to the ORE.
2. Upload a character reference, clinical references showing at least 1,600 hours of clinical experience treating patients in the dental chair, certified identity and qualification documents, and a UK ENIC Statement of Comparability.
3. Arrange a certificate of good standing or CCPS from the dental authority where you last worked.
4. Pay the £115 application processing fee. The GDC aims to assess complete applications within 60 working days.
5. Once added to the candidate list, book Part 1 when a booking window opens, then Part 2 after passing.

The character reference must come from the head of your dental school, or their nominee, if you apply within 12 months of graduating. Your clinical reference forms must be no more than three months old when you apply, and the GDC contacts referees directly to verify them.

The GDC lists £485 for Part 1, £6,967 for Part 2 and £686 to retake only the medical emergencies component. Exam fees are paid each time you book and are not normally refundable.

If you pass each part first time, the GDC says you could finish in around six to 12 months. In practice, it warns that demand is extremely high, places have gone within 30 minutes of a booking window opening, and it can take several years. There is no time limit to apply for registration after passing.

• Five-year limit: you must pass Part 2 within five years of first attempting Part 1.
• Four attempts: you are allowed up to four attempts at each part. Fail either part four times and you cannot sit the ORE again.
• No appeals on Part 2 results or disagreements with examiners' decisions.
• No exemptions for MFDS or other membership diplomas.

The GDC gives priority booking to candidates near the five-year limit and to dental professionals with refugee status. For the full process, see our ORE guide for dentists.