How to apply ORE (UK)

How to apply for the ORE (UK): step by step

Start here if you trained as a dentist outside the UK and Europe and want to work as a dentist in the UK. The ORE (Overseas Registration Exam) is a two-part exam run by the General Dental Council (GDC), the body that keeps the list of dentists allowed to work in the UK. You pass both parts, then apply to join that list, called the register.

2
Parts
4
Tries at each part
5 yrs
To pass Part 2
1,600
Clinical hours

Checked against the GDC and UK ENIC websites on 9 October 2026 · 16 min read

The route at a glance

Read it from top to bottom. Gold boxes are questions. Each box links to the step that explains it.

The ORE route, from start to register
  1. StartYou qualified as a dentist outside the UK.
  2. QuestionIs your degree from the UK, a European diploma listed in Annex V of EU Directive 2005/36/EC, or on the GDC’s list of recognised overseas qualifications?
    • YesYou do not need the ORE. Apply to the GDC on that route instead.
    • NoYou need the ORE, or another route such as the LDS. Carry on below. Step 1
  3. Get your English evidence and your UK ENIC statement. Step 2
  4. Collect references, a good standing certificate and certified copies. Step 3
  5. Open a MyGDC account, apply for the ORE and pay £115. The GDC aims to decide within 60 working days. Step 4
  6. Book Part 1 the moment a booking window opens. Pay £485 when you book. Step 5
  7. Sit Part 1: two papers on a computer, in London. Step 6
  8. QuestionDid you pass both papers?
    • YesYou join the Part 2 list.
    • NoBook Part 1 again. You have up to 4 tries.
  9. Book and sit Part 2 in London: four practical parts. £6,967. Step 7
  10. QuestionDid you pass Part 2?You must pass within 5 years of your first try at Part 1.
    • YesApply to join the register.
    • Only failed medical emergenciesRetake that part on its own, once, for £686.
    • NoBook Part 2 again. You have up to 4 tries.
  11. Apply for registration in MyGDC. Pay the fees and declare your indemnity cover. Step 8
  12. FinishYou are on the GDC register. You can now work as a dentist in the UK.

Fees as of 9 October 2026. They change, so check the fees table and the GDC’s own pages.

Step by step

Do the steps in order. Each one says where to go, what to have ready, what to do there, and what comes back. If a word is new to you, see Words you’ll see.

  1. Check that the ORE is your route

    The ORE is for dentists whose degree is not recognised for UK registration. Most dentists who qualified outside the UK and Europe need it.

    You do not need the ORE if you have:

    • a UK dental degree;
    • a European diploma listed in Annex V of EU Directive 2005/36/EC (an EU law that lists dental degrees recognised across Europe); or
    • a degree on the GDC’s recognised overseas list. This list is short. It names some universities in Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and South Africa, mostly for degrees given before 1 January 2001.

    The MFDS and other membership diplomas do not let you skip any part of the ORE. Other routes exist: the LDS from the Royal College of Surgeons of England, and a BDS international route at the University of Lancashire (UCLan), which you join after the third year.

    You will also need the right to work in the UK. Visas are a separate process: the GDC points you to the UK government’s visa guidance. To see whether you need a visa just to come to the UK, for example to sit the exams, use the “Check if you need a UK visa” tool on GOV.UK.

    Where
    The GDC website (gdc-uk.org). You do not need an account yet.
    Have ready
    Your degree certificate, so you know the exact name of your university and the year you qualified.
    Do this
    1. Open the GDC’s list of recognised overseas qualifications (link below). Look for your university and the dates next to it.
    2. If your degree is from the UK, is a European diploma listed in Annex V, or is on that list, you do not need the ORE. Apply to the GDC on that route instead.
    3. If not, you need the ORE (or another route, such as the LDS). Go to step 2.
    Fee
    None.
    How long
    Up to you.
    Common mistake
    Thinking the MFDS or another membership diploma lets you skip part of the ORE. The GDC says it does not.

  2. Get your English evidence and your UK ENIC statement

    English. The usual proof is IELTS Academic (an English test) with at least 7 overall and at least 6.5 in each of the four parts. IELTS One Skill Retake and IELTS Online are accepted at the same scores. The GDC also accepts:

    • a recent dental degree taught and examined in English, with a structured reference form;
    • a recent pass in the language test of a dental regulator in a country where English is the first language; or
    • recent work as a dentist in such a country, shown by a structured reference and an employment contract.

    “Recent” means less than two years old when you send your application. Have your English evidence ready when you apply. The GDC does not list the OET test, so check with the GDC before relying on it.

    UK ENIC Statement of Comparability. This is a letter from UK ENIC, the UK’s official agency for comparing overseas qualifications, saying how your degree compares with UK ones. The GDC asks for it with your ORE application.

    Where
    English: an official IELTS test centre, booked on the IELTS website (ielts.org). UK ENIC: the UK ENIC website (enic.org.uk), where you apply in your own UK ENIC online account.
    Have ready
    For UK ENIC: your final degree certificate; your official transcript (the list of your subjects and grades), signed and dated by your university; certified translations of anything not in English; proof of identity, such as your passport; and proof of any change of name. UK ENIC asks for clear colour photos or scans (JPEG, PDF or bitmap, up to 5 MB each) that show all four corners of each page.
    Do this
    1. Book IELTS Academic on the IELTS website and sit it. The GDC accepts IELTS Online and IELTS One Skill Retake at the same scores.
    2. On the UK ENIC website, open “Apply for a Statement of Comparability” and choose “Start now” to create your UK ENIC account.
    3. Fill in the application, upload your documents and pay the full fee. UK ENIC says you must submit and pay in full to apply.
    4. Check the “order status” section of your UK ENIC account. UK ENIC messages you there if it needs more documents.
    5. When it is ready, download your e-Statement. You upload it to MyGDC in step 4.
    Fee
    UK ENIC: £69.60, including the e-Statement. A paper copy costs £12.60 more in the UK or £75.60 more abroad (as of 9 October 2026). The IELTS fee is set by IELTS, not the GDC.
    How long
    UK ENIC says it can take 15 working days once it has all your documents and full payment. If it asks you for more documents, the 15 days start again.
    You get
    From IELTS: a Test Report Form with your scores. From UK ENIC: an e-Statement to download from your account. It shows your 10-digit UK ENIC reference number and has no expiry date. Then go to step 3.
    Common mistake
    Taking the other IELTS test, General Training. The GDC asks for IELTS Academic, less than two years old when you apply.

  3. Collect the rest of your documents

    • Character reference on the GDC’s form. If you graduated in the last 12 months, it must come from the head of your dental school or someone they choose. Otherwise, a professional such as a doctor, dentist or lawyer who has known you for over 12 months and is not family.
    • Clinical reference form(s) showing at least 1,600 hours of treating patients in the dental chair. Each must be no more than three months old when you apply. Hours from your degree: signed by the dean (or a professor or tutor acting for the dean) and stamped by the dean’s office. Hours from work after you qualified: signed by your employer, who must be registered with that country’s regulator.
    • Certificate of Good Standing (CGS) or Certificate of Current Professional Status (CCPS). This is a letter from a dental regulator saying you are allowed to practise and have no problems on record. You need one from the regulator where you last worked, and one from the country where you qualified if that is different. The regulator emails it straight to the GDC exams team. It must be no more than three months old. A registration certificate, a yearly practising certificate or a university letter is not accepted instead.
    • A certified copy of your degree certificate. A provisional certificate is not accepted.
    • A valid passport, for the online identity check. The GDC says it works best on a mobile phone.
    • Certified translations of anything not in English, including stamps.
    • Proof of any change of name, if your name is different across your documents.
    • A medical certificate, only if you need changes to how you sit the exam. Tell the GDC at least five weeks before a sitting.

    Who can certify a copy: a notary public, Commissioner of Oaths, Justice of the Peace, lawyer, solicitor, or an embassy or consulate official. Not you, your partner, a relative or your character referee. They write in English “I have inspected the original document and I certify that this is a true copy”, then add their name and address and sign by hand. Typed signatures are refused.

    Where
    The GDC’s “How to apply for the ORE” page, where you download the reference forms. Then your referees, your dental regulator(s), a certifier (for example a notary public) and a qualified translator.
    Do this
    1. Download the GDC’s character reference form and clinical reference form (links below).
    2. Give the character reference form to your referee. Give a clinical reference form to each person who can confirm your hours: your dean’s office for hours during your degree, or a registered employer for hours after it.
    3. Ask the regulator where you last worked, and the one where you qualified if different, to email your good standing certificate straight to the GDC at [email protected].
    4. Take your original degree certificate, and any proof of a name change, to a certifier. They write the GDC’s sentence on the photocopy, add their name and address, and sign by hand.
    5. Have anything not in English translated by a qualified translator. The GDC says the translation must be on the company’s letterhead, with the translator’s signature, name and address.
    6. Scan everything clearly, ready to upload in step 4. A referee can sign by hand and scan the form, or insert a scanned signature.
    Fee
    None to the GDC at this step. Referees, notaries, regulators or translators may charge.
    How long
    It depends on your referees and regulators. Start early.
    You get
    Signed reference forms, certified copies and translations, ready to upload. The good standing certificate does not come to you: the regulator sends it to the GDC. Then go to step 4.
    Common mistake
    Using a reference or good standing certificate that is more than three months old when you apply, or a copy certified with a typed signature. The GDC does not accept them.

  4. Open a MyGDC account and apply for the ORE

    MyGDC is the GDC’s online account. It replaced the old eGDC system. You use it to apply, upload documents, check your identity, pay, and later book your exams.

    After you apply, the GDC emails your referees to confirm their references. It chases them after 5 days and contacts you after 15 days. If a referee never replies, your application may be rejected.

    Where
    MyGDC, at mygdc.gdc-uk.org. The “Apply now” button on the GDC’s “How to apply for the ORE” page takes you there too.
    Have ready
    Everything from steps 2 and 3, your passport, a mobile phone for the identity check, an email address you check often, and a way to pay £115.
    Do this
    1. On the MyGDC sign-in page, choose ‘No account? Create one’.
    2. Enter your email address and select ‘Next’. Type in the verification code the GDC emails you. It lasts 30 minutes. If you cannot see it, check your junk folder.
    3. Enter your details and follow the steps on screen to finish setting up the account. Each time you log in after this, you get a new code by email.
    4. Start the ORE application, fill it in and upload your documents where the form asks.
    5. Do the online identity check with your passport. The GDC says it works best on a mobile phone.
    6. Pay the £115 fee.
    Fee
    £115 application fee, not refundable (as of 9 October 2026).
    How long
    The GDC aims to assess a complete application within 60 working days. It can take longer at busy times.
    You get
    You can follow your application in MyGDC, and the GDC tells you if it needs more information. When you are accepted, the GDC emails you and adds you to the Part 1 candidate list. Then go to step 5.
    Common mistake
    A referee who does not answer the GDC’s email. If you then cannot resubmit within 28 days, you may have to pay the £115 again. Tell your referees to look out for it.

  5. Book Part 1

    Once you are accepted, the GDC emails you and adds you to the Part 1 candidate list. Booking windows open eight weeks before each sitting. You book and pay in MyGDC. The GDC lists the dates on its booking-dates page.

    Places go very fast. The GDC says: “All places have been taken up within 30 minutes of a booking window opening this year.” Some places go first to people near their five-year limit and to people with refugee status.

    The booking rules:

    • You can be logged in on one device only.
    • You are logged out after 15 minutes without activity.
    • Pay when you book. The GDC says a booking is not processed if you have not paid within one hour.
    • Pressing “book exam and pay” with no plan to pay blocks you from the next sitting.

    You can choose any sitting. You do not have to take the next one.

    ORE Part 1 sittings, 2026 to 2027
    Part 1 sittingStatus on 9 October 2026
    14–15 October 2026Fully booked
    2–3 February 2027Booking date not yet published
    6–7 April 2027Booking date not yet published

    Each Part 1 sitting has 600 places, at one of three London venues chosen for you. The GDC says a new booking system should be in place for 2027 exams, so check how booking works before your window.

    Where
    The bookings tab in your MyGDC account. The GDC emails booking dates in advance and lists them on its ORE booking dates page.
    Have ready
    Your MyGDC login, on one device, and a way to pay £485 straight away.
    Do this
    1. Check your email and the booking dates page for the day and time the window opens. The times are UK time.
    2. Eight hours before it opens, the exam shows as ‘unavailable’ in the bookings tab, with its opening time.
    3. If you are already logged in when the window opens, refresh your browser.
    4. Choose your sitting, select ‘book exam and pay’ and pay at once.
    5. If you see an error message, the GDC says this usually means the exam is full.
    Fee
    £485 per try (as of 9 October 2026). Not normally refundable.
    How long
    It depends on getting a place. The GDC warns that some people find it hard to get one.
    You get
    Your booking. The exam provider then contacts you directly with your venue (step 6). If places come free later, the GDC reopens booking and tells candidates by email.
    Common mistake
    Trying to book when you cannot pay. The GDC says to log in only if you can pay, because an unpaid booking is not processed after one hour.

  6. Sit Part 1

    Part 1 is two papers on a computer, taken in person in London. Each paper lasts three hours.

    • Paper A: dental science and human disease.
    • Paper B: clinical dentistry, including law and ethics, and health and safety.

    The questions are extended matching questions and single best answer questions (multiple-choice styles). You must pass both papers to go on to Part 2.

    Where
    One of three London venues. The exam provider contacts you directly to tell you which one.
    Have ready
    The identity documents the exam provider asks for. Read its Candidate ID Verification policy on its website before the day.
    Results
    The GDC aims to email them within 30 working days. You get a mark for each paper and a pass or fail. Marks cannot be queried. About 21 working days after the results, the Part 1 supplier, UCL Consultants, gives feedback.
    Tries
    Up to 4.
    Next
    If you passed both papers, you go onto the Part 2 candidate list: go to step 7. If not, book Part 1 again in a later window.
    Common mistake
    Sharing exam questions online. The GDC says this breaks the ORE rules: you fail the exam, and it may affect your registration later.

  7. Book and sit Part 2

    Passing Part 1 puts you on the Part 2 list. You book Part 2 the same way. You must pass Part 2 within five years of your first try at Part 1. The time from 2 April 2020 to 8 March 2023 does not count towards the five years.

    Part 2 is at the UCL Eastman Dental Institute, Rockefeller Building, in London. It has four parts:

    • Dental manikin: three procedures in three hours on a model head, mainly preparing and filling teeth.
    • OSCE: a circuit of short stations, each testing a clinical skill.
    • Diagnosis and treatment planning: an actor gives a patient history, with photos, X-rays, models or test results.
    • Medical emergencies: a spoken exam on emergency scenarios, plus basic life support, including CPR on a manikin.
    ORE Part 2 sittings, 2026 to 2027
    Part 2 sittingPlaces
    26–29 November 2026200
    21–24 January 2027200
    4–7 March 2027200
    15–18 April 2027200

    If you fail only medical emergencies: you can retake that part on its own, once, at a later sitting. Pass it and you have passed Part 2. Fail it and you must sit the whole of Part 2 again. This retake does not count as one of your four tries.

    Where
    Booking: the bookings tab in MyGDC, as for Part 1. Exam: UCL Eastman Dental Institute, Rockefeller Building, London.
    Do this
    1. Watch your email and the booking dates page for the Part 2 window.
    2. Book and pay in MyGDC as soon as it opens, following the same rules as in step 5.
    3. Read the exam provider’s guidance for each of the four parts on its website (link below).
    Fee
    £6,967 per try. Medical emergencies retake: £686 (as of 9 October 2026).
    Results
    The GDC aims to email them within 20 working days. There are no appeals against results. If you pass, the results email explains how to apply for registration: go to step 8.
    Tries
    Up to 4. After four fails at either part, you cannot sit the ORE again.
    Common mistake
    Leaving Part 2 too late. You must pass it within five years of your first try at Part 1, and places are hard to get.

  8. Apply to join the GDC register

    Your results email explains how to apply. You apply in MyGDC. There is no time limit for applying after you pass. It is illegal to work as a dentist in the UK before you have a registration number. To provide NHS dental care in England, other than in hospital (secondary) care, you must also join the NHS Dental Performers List. Primary Care Support England (PCSE) says graduates from outside the EU, including those registered through the ORE, usually first have to show their training is equivalent to UK foundation training (the competence assessment route).

    You will need:

    • a character reference;
    • the online passport identity check;
    • certified copies and translations;
    • a good standing certificate (CGS or CCPS) no more than three months old when you register, so you will probably need a new one;
    • English language evidence;
    • a health declaration;
    • a declaration of any convictions, cautions (including “spent” ones, apart from protected ones) and any professional disciplinary cases;
    • a declaration that you have, or will have, indemnity by the time you start work. Indemnity is cover that pays out if a patient makes a claim against you.
    Where
    MyGDC again. Start with the GDC’s “Key facts about registration” and “How to apply: overseas-qualified dentist” pages (links below).
    Do this
    1. Read the two GDC pages above.
    2. Log in to MyGDC, complete the route to registration questionnaire, then apply online.
    3. Ask your last regulator to email a new good standing certificate to the GDC at [email protected].
    4. Upload your documents, make your declarations, do the identity check and pay the application fee.
    5. If your application is successful, the GDC asks you to pay the registration fee for your month.
    Fees
    First an application fee. The GDC’s fee page lists £117.23 (from 16 January 2026), but one older GDC page still shows £102.83, so pay the amount MyGDC shows you. Then a registration fee that depends on the month you join: in 2026 it runs from £698 in January down to £174.51 in October. Joining in November or December costs £814.34 or £756.17, because that includes the next annual retention fee. Add £10 if you want your original documents back (as of 9 October 2026).
    How long
    The GDC aims to assess a complete application within three months.
    Every year after
    Pay the annual retention fee and renew by 31 December, in your MyGDC account.
    You get
    A GDC registration number. Only then may you work as a dentist in the UK. For NHS work in England, the Performers List comes next (see above).
    Common mistake
    Reusing the good standing certificate from your ORE application. It must be no more than three months old when you register, so you will probably need a new one.

Words you’ll see

  • Certified copy: a photocopy that an approved person, such as a notary public or solicitor, has compared with your original and signed as a true copy.
  • Certified translation: an exact English translation by a qualified translator, on the company’s letterhead, with the translator’s signature, name and address.
  • Certificate of Good Standing (CGS) or Certificate of Current Professional Status (CCPS): a letter from a dental regulator saying you are allowed to practise and have not been suspended, disqualified or banned.
  • UK ENIC Statement of Comparability: a certificate from UK ENIC, the UK agency for overseas qualifications, showing how your degree compares with UK qualifications.
  • IELTS Academic: the version of the IELTS English test that the GDC asks for, with four parts: listening, reading, writing and speaking.
  • OET: the Occupational English Test, an English test for health workers, which the GDC does not list.
  • MyGDC: the GDC’s online account, where you apply, upload documents, book and pay for exams, and later register and renew.
  • Candidate list: the GDC’s list of people who are allowed to book a part of the ORE.
  • The register: the GDC’s official list of dentists who are allowed to work in the UK.
  • Annex V: the part of EU Directive 2005/36/EC that lists dental degrees recognised across Europe.
  • Indemnity: cover that pays out if a patient makes a claim against you.
  • NHS Dental Performers List: the list a dentist must be on to give NHS dental care in England, apart from hospital (secondary) care.

Documents checklist

Tick things off as you go. Nothing is saved: the ticks clear when you leave the page.

For the ORE application

For each exam booking

For registration after you pass

Fees

All fees as of 9 October 2026. ORE fees include VAT. Always check the official page before you pay.

ORE route fees as of 9 October 2026
FeeAmount
ORE application (not refundable)£115
ORE Part 1, per try£485
ORE Part 2, per try£6,967
Medical emergencies retake (Part 2)£686
UK ENIC Statement of Comparability£69.60 (paper copy extra)
GDC registration application£117.23 on the fee page; one older page shows £102.83
GDC registration fee, dentists, 2026£698 (January) down to £174.51 (October); £814.34 (November) and £756.17 (December) include the annual retention fee
Return of original documents£10
IELTS testSet by IELTS, not the GDC

The three ORE fees for one try at each part add up to £7,567. That is our sum, before ENIC, English tests, travel, registration and any retakes.

Questions people ask

Should I log in on my laptop and my phone to be safe?

No. You can be logged in on one device only. Logging in on a second device logs you out, and so do 15 minutes without activity.

Can I grab a place now and pay later?

No. You must pay when you book. The GDC says an unpaid booking is not processed after one hour, and pressing “book exam and pay” with no plan to pay blocks you from the next sitting.

If my UK visa is refused, do I get my exam fee back?

No. The GDC says being unable to get a UK visa is not an exceptional circumstance. Exam fees are not normally refunded.

I have the MFDS. Can I skip part of the ORE?

No. The GDC gives no exemptions for the MFDS or other membership diplomas.

Can a relative who is a lawyer certify my copies?

No. The person who certifies cannot be you, your partner, a relative or your character referee. Typed signatures are refused.

Someone offered to check my application for a fee. Is that official?

No. The GDC does not endorse any ORE preparation or application-checking groups. It says it will never ask for a fee other than the application, exam and registration fees. Never share your MyGDC login.

Preparing for Part 1? See our ORE Part 1 course.

Official sources

Every fact on this page comes from these pages. All were checked on 9 October 2026.

Also worth reading

OREORE exam dates and how booking worksCostsWhat GDC registration costs in 2026How to applyThe LDS route, step by step