Registering with the GDC through the ORE: the 2026 route, step by step

Who the ORE is for

The Overseas Registration Exam is for dentists whose primary dental qualification is not recognised for UK registration. Passing both parts entitles you to apply for full registration with the General Dental Council. It is not a job offer and it is not a visa — the GDC is explicit that success in the exam does not mean you will automatically find work.

Before you can apply

Three things have to be in place before the GDC will put you on the candidate list.

The application, in order

1. Create a MyGDC account and complete the online ORE application.
2. Upload your documents: character reference, clinical reference evidencing the 1,600 hours, certified qualification certificate, ENIC statement, passport, and a Certificate of Current Professional Status less than three months old.
3. Pay the £115 application processing fee.
4. Complete the online identity check. The GDC notes it works best on a mobile.
5. Wait. Allow 60 working days for assessment, and longer at peak times.
6. Once approved you join the ORE candidate list and can book Part 1 when a window opens.

Part 1

Two computer-based papers, sat in person on consecutive days. Paper A covers dental science and human disease. Paper B covers clinical dentistry, law, ethics, and health and safety. Three hours each. Questions are extended matching and single best answer. Both papers must be passed to move on.

Sittings run four times a year at three London venues, with 600 places each. Booking opens eight weeks before the exam through MyGDC.

Part 2

Four components across four days at the UCL Eastman Dental Institute:

• Operative test on a dental manikin — three procedures over three hours.
• OSCE — stations covering history taking, communication, examination, judgement and ethics.
• Diagnosis and treatment planning — an interactive exercise with an actor giving the history, plus photographs, radiographs and study models.
• Medical emergencies — a scenario-based oral plus basic life support on a manikin.

Five sittings a year. Results within 20 working days by email. A medical emergencies retake on its own costs £686.

What it costs

Passing both parts first time therefore costs around £7,684 before the ENIC fee, the IELTS fee, travel and accommodation. That total is our arithmetic on the published fees, not a figure the GDC publishes.

Attempts and the time limit

Four attempts at each part. Failing either part four times bars you from the ORE permanently. You must pass Part 2 within five years of first sitting Part 1. Candidates close to that five-year limit are given priority booking, as are people with refugee status.

After you pass

Part 2 results arrive by email with a link to the registration application in eGDC. There is no time limit on applying once you have passed. You will need your passport, your original qualification, a Certificate of Current Professional Status less than three months old, and a character reference from a professional who has known you over a year and is not a relative.

Declare all convictions and cautions, including spent ones — the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act does not apply to GDC applications. The Council has up to three months to decide. It is illegal to practise dentistry in the UK before your registration number is issued, and you must have indemnity in place once you do.

Is the LDS a better route?

It is now considerably cheaper. Since the May 2026 fee change the ORE costs roughly £7,600 against about £4,550 for the LDS. Against that, the LDS is three parts rather than two, and the new Part 2 format is unproven — the dental press reported that only around five of ninety-five candidates passed the June 2026 sitting. We have written that route up separately.

Frequently asked

What is the GDC route to registration for overseas dentists? For a dentist whose primary qualification is not recognised for UK registration, the route is to pass both parts of the Overseas Registration Exam, then apply to the General Dental Council for full registration. The alternative is the Licence in Dental Surgery awarded by the Royal College of Surgeons of England, which leads to the same registration.

How do I apply for the ORE? Create a MyGDC account and join the candidate list. Before the GDC will accept you, you need at least 1,600 hours of clinical experience evidenced by a clinical reference form, a certified copy of your dental qualification with a UK ENIC Statement of Comparability, and IELTS Academic at 7.0 overall with no less than 6.5 in each skill.

What are the ORE requirements? 1,600 hours of treating patients, a certified dental qualification plus a UK ENIC Statement of Comparability, and IELTS Academic 7.0 overall with a minimum of 6.5 in each of the four skills. English evidence normally has to be under two years old.

Is OET accepted instead of IELTS for the ORE? No. The GDC's English language page names IELTS Academic and does not list OET. This trips people up because OET is accepted by the GMC for doctors, and some preparation sites imply it works for dentists too. There are non-test alternatives, such as a qualification taught and examined entirely in English, but do not assume OET will be taken.

How much does the ORE cost in total? About £7,567 in exam fees at 2026 prices: £115 application processing, £485 for Part 1 and £6,967 for Part 2. Part 2 rose 65% in May 2026, from £4,235. GDC registration itself is a further £117.23, and the annual retention fee is £698.

How many attempts do I get at the ORE? Four at each part. Part 2 must be passed within five years of your first attempt at Part 1.

Who delivers the ORE now? UCL Consultants Ltd, a UCL subsidiary, under a contract signed in March 2026. Part 2 is sat at the UCL Eastman Dental Institute.