Overseas Qualified Dentists

Registering to practise in the UK

The first step to practising dentistry in the UK is to contact the General Dental Council. They will be able to advise you about your eligibility to registration in the UK. They have an excellent website with a very simple-to-use guide to registration.

Those dentists who are entitled to full registration with the GDC can register immediately and find employment in the UK as a dentist.

See www.gdc-uk.org for more information on how to do this.

Many dentists outside the UK are not eligible for immediate registration with the GDC and have to undertake the Overseas Registration Examination (ORE) which was formerly known as the International Qualifying Examination (IQE)

Please read the following information regarding visa eligibility:
http://www.nhsemployers.org/workforce/workforce-718.cfm

Anyone requiring training for IELTS or ORE Part A, B or C please read the relevant information below, and fill in the form which can be found here. Then please email the completed form to Lucy Caple (lcaple@kssdeanery.ac.uk) with the subject line 'IQE/ORE REGISTRATION'. This will enable us to email you with appropriate training opportunities.

IELTS

Dentists applying to sit the ORE must demonstrate that they have good standards of English and are required to submit a single stamped and signed academic International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Test Report Form before entering the ORE. The Form must:

• Be no more than two years' old on receipt at the GDC;
• Show a minimum overall band score of 7.0;
• Show no score lower than 6.5 in any section.

There are various centres in the KSS area which can offer training for IELTS.

Overseas Registration Examination

The ORE is based on the UK dental curriculum and tests the skills and knowledge of dentists from overseas whose qualifications are not recognised for full registration with the GDC. It is held at different venues throughout the year.

The examination is in two parts which must be taken consecutively:

Part 1 comprises a written paper in clinically applied dental science; a written paper and in clinically applied human diseases. The papers are undertaken on a computer each lasting 3 hours. The questions are Extended Matching Questions and Single Best Answer Questions.

Part 2 consists of:

1. an operative test on a dental manikin
2. Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)- 20 x 5 minute stations
3. A diagnostic and treatment planning session involving an actor, not involving an intra-oral examination.
4. Examination in medical emergencies.

KSS in collaboration with other deaneries has a programme of appropriate training, information and resources available for candidates intending to sit each part of the ORE exams. Candidates MUST first register their home address with the deanery. Unless a dentist is intending to practice dentistry in secondary care then it is inadvisable to undertake the MFDS/MJDF examination and seek a clinical attachment. The deanery recommends that candidates concentrate on studying for the examinations, getting phantom-head training, attending appropriate deanery courses and seeking primary care observer opportunities.

Starting out in Practice

Registration with the GDC should been seen as the first step in progress towards practising in the UK.

Every country has different rules, regulations, guidelines and definitions of professional conduct which govern the practice of dentistry. It is the responsibility of ALL dentists who are registered with the GDC to familiarise themselves with these in the UK. KSS and London deaneries will be running a joint programme of introductory training for dentists who are joining the GDC register or returning to practice in the UK.

Dentists in the UK must have an up-to-date IRMER and CPR certificates and KSS Deanery does recommend that all dentists starting in practice who qualified from outside the UK contact the deanery for advice and training, before commencing work.

For information about:

• IELTS
• ORE (previously known as IQE)
• Introductory training for working in the UK
• VT Equivalence application

To register for ORE training please contact Lucy Caple:
The Postgraduate Dental Deanery of Kent, Surrey and Sussex
7 Bermondsey Street
London
SE1 2DD

Tel: 020 7415 3676
Email: lcaple@kssdeanery.ac.uk