Dental Regulator Seeks New Providers for Overseas Registration Exams

UK: The General Dental Council (GDC), the UK’s dental regulator, has initiated a tendering process to secure new providers for the Overseas Registration Examination (ORE) Part 1 and Part 2. This move aims to enhance flexibility and availability of these crucial assessments for overseas-trained dentists seeking to practice in the country.

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The ORE evaluates the knowledge and clinical skills of international dental professionals, ensuring they meet the standards expected of UK-qualified dentists. Part 1 is a computer-based assessment of knowledge, while Part 2 involves a practical test of clinical abilities.

Theresa Thorp, Executive Director of Regulation at the GDC, expressed enthusiasm for the tendering process, stating, “We are very pleased to have launched the tender process for ORE provision. We are moving at pace so more dentists from overseas can come and work in the UK.”

Improving Capacity and Efficiency

The GDC seeks to address the limitations posed by previous financial and supplier constraints that hindered capacity improvements over the past year. By procuring new contracts for ORE Part 1 and Part 2, the regulator aims to ensure contracts are in place for the 2025 sittings, thereby enhancing the availability of these assessments.

“We want to work with our suppliers to deliver improvements to capacity while maintaining patient safety and public confidence in the dental profession as our top priority,” Thorp emphasized, underscoring the GDC’s commitment to upholding professional standards.

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Provisional Registration Proposal

The tendering process coincides with the government’s consideration of introducing a “provisional registration” system for overseas-qualified dentists. This proposal, currently under a three-month consultation, aims to address the growing shortage of NHS dental provision by allowing dentists from abroad to work in the UK without immediately taking the ORE.

Under the proposed plan, provisional registration would enable overseas-qualified dentists who have not yet achieved full GDC registration to practice in any dental setting, including high street dental practices, under the supervision of a fully registered dentist.

As the dental sector navigates these developments, the GDC’s proactive efforts to secure new ORE providers demonstrate its dedication to facilitating the integration of international dental professionals while upholding patient safety and public confidence in the profession.