The General Dental Council (GDC) has reviewed the feedback from its recent call for evidence on the structure and operation of the Overseas Registration Examination (ORE) and has published its outcome report.

According to the GDC, while no significant demand for immediate structural changes has been identified, there is a clear desire to improve the examination's availability. The regulator said this would guide its strategic planning for the future development of a comprehensive framework for international routes to registration.

Using legislation changes in 2023 to introduce rules for the registration of dentists and dental care professionals who qualify overseas, the GDC has increased the ORE capacity. The council said this has been a crucial step in modernising the international registration process, with more flexible contracts in place to deliver the ORE in 2025.

Stefan Czerniawski, executive director of strategy for the GDC, said, “With public protection as our overriding priority, hearing about and learning from the experiences of ORE candidates and those who want to register in the UK is incredibly important to us.

“We will not compromise on the standards for entry to the UK register, but the application process should be no more burdensome than is necessary to achieve that. The report will inform our future approach to registration for internationally qualified dentists and dental care professionals.”

The GDC has also called for an indication of the government’s plans for provisional registration for overseas qualified dentists.

Stefan added, “The proposals for provisional registration would provide an additional and alternate route to registration for dentists who want to work in the UK, but it is a complex solution that will take time to deliver and will only work effectively if delivered in collaboration with the sector.”

The GDC will consider making the ORE rules more flexible for candidates on the number of attempts and reapplying where a candidate has reached the time limit or exhausted all attempts. The regulator said it wants to ensure that international registration processes are efficient, fair and maintain the high standards to protect patients.

The council said there are no immediate plans to introduce a practical test for internationally qualified dental hygienists and therapists. However, the option will continue to be considered as part of the longer-term work on international registration.

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