Frequently Asked Questions
Updated 31 July 2009
1. What does ORE stand for?
ORE stands for the Overseas Registration Examination.
2. Who is required to sit the ORE?
Dentists who gained their primary dental qualification from a university that is not in either the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland will usually be required to pass the ORE before being able to register with the GDC. Dentists who fall into this category but have an EEA passport are eligible to have their degree assessed on an individual basis. This is known as Individual Assessment: however, you should be aware that this is not a guaranteed route to registration and unsuccessful applicants are required to sit the ORE. Further information is available to help you find your route to GDC registration.
3. Why did the International Qualifying Examination (IQE) change?
In 2006 the GDC undertook a comprehensive review of the IQE. This was to ensure that the examination could keep up-to-date with current assessment methods. After public consultation, it was decided that a new examination should be introduced. This examination utilises modern assessment methods and is a more streamlined process for candidates and centres holding the examination. The ORE has now totally replaced the IQE, with its first sitting having taken place in September 2007.
4. Is the standard of the ORE different from the IQE?
The IQE and the ORE are both based on The First Five Years: A Framework for Undergraduate Dental Education. The dental schools use this GDC document to form the undergraduate dental curricula in the UK. The standard of the ORE is the same as that of the IQE; however, the methods of assessment used are different.
5. What does Part 1 of the ORE cover?
There are two written papers for Part 1 of the ORE:
- Paper A covers clinically applied dental science and clinically applied human disease
- Paper B covers aspects of clinical dentistry, including law and ethics and health and safety
Each paper lasts 3 hours and is made up of Multiple Short Answer questions (Extended Matching Questions and Single Best Answer Questions). Examples of this type of questioning are available to candidates as guidance under the ORE guidance page on the GDC website.
6. What does Part 2 of the ORE cover?
There are four components to Part 2 of the ORE:
An operative test on a dental manikin
Candidates are required to perform three procedures over a period of three hours. These procedures primarily involve the preparation and restoration of teeth, but may also include other procedures where appropriate simulation can allow assessment of operative skills. The guidance document gives a list of ten possible procedures; however, this list is only there to provide some examples and candidates may be asked to carry out procedures in any part of the mouth as well as procedures not on the list.
An Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)
This is where candidates visit a series of ‘stations’ which test their clinical skills. These may include history-taking and assessment, communication skills (such as an explanation of problems and treatment plans), judgement and decision making, ethics and attitudes, and clinical examination. The series of stations may cover aspects of the following: behavioural sciences, human disease, law, ethics and professionalism, clinical dentistry, restorative dentistry, paediatric dentistry, orthodontics, preventive dentistry, dental public health, comprehensive oral care, oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology and oral microbiology, dental radiology and imaging.
There will be a maximum of 20 stations and the OSCE lasts 2 hours in total. For more detail, please read our OSCE guidance document.
A diagnostic and treatment planning exercise
This involves an actor who will provide an appropriate history (but will not be examined), together with relevant additional information such as photographs, radiographs, study models or results of other special tests. The exercise may involve any of the above aspects of clinical dentistry. Further guidance on the diagnosis and treatment planning exercise is also available for you to read.
A practical examination in medical emergencies
This assessment consists of two parts:
- a structured scenario-based oral
- demonstration of single handed basic life support. This will include cardiopulmonary resuscitation using a resuscitation manikin
For more detail, please read our medical emergencies guidance document.
7. What are the fees for the ORE?
- Part 1 - £600
- Part 2 - £2250
Re-sitting the Medical Emergencies examination (see Question 5 below) on its own if required and eligible - £300
Under no circumstances would we offer candidates a discount on these fees.
8. Is there a syllabus for the ORE?
The syllabus is the learning outcomes from The First Five Years. Topic areas covered in each section of the examination are outlined in our website: Content and format of the ORE.
9. What preparation material will I be provided with?
Candidates will find the following preparation material on the GDC website:
- reading list for the ORE
- blueprints for the ORE
- the First Five Years: A Framework for Undergraduate Dental Education, General Dental Council 2002
- general guidance and guidance for applications
10. Are there any training or refresher courses for the ORE?
Since the GDC sets the examination, it cannot provide preparation courses. Please refer to the reading list as a part of your preparation studies. It is likely that a wide variety of short courses are available; however the GDC is unable to recommend or give accreditation to these.
11. Can I get any exemptions for having done the MFDS or any other Membership diplomas or non-Membership examinations?
The ORE will offer no exemptions for candidates who have completed the MFDS or other Membership diplomas or non-Membership examinations.
12. When can I apply for the examination?
You can apply for the examination throughout the year, as there are no closing dates. You should be aware that applicants are expected to be academically and financially ready to sit an examination at the time of application. If you are not ready to sit the ORE, you should not submit your application. Applicants are also expected to submit all the required documents along with their application. The GDC will be unable to process your application until all documents have been received.
13. What documents do I have to submit?
Applicants need to provide the following:
- An application form completed in all parts. The clinical reference must be written or typed onto the application form by the referee and should not be sent as a separate letter
- An original Certificate of Good Standing (see below) that must be no older than 3 months on the day the application is received by the GDC. If there is a one year gap between ORE sittings, you will need to submit a new Certificate of Good Standing
- A single original stamped and signed Academic IELTS Test Report Form, showing a minimum overall score of 7.0, with no individual section lower than 6.5. The form must be no more than two years old (see Question 14 below). No other language test will be accepted and the results of two or more Test Report Forms cannot be combined
- A certified copy of a primary dental degree recognised for the purpose of the examination. If your university is not on this list, please contact the Exams Team for advice
- A certified copy of a current, valid passport
- Two recent passport-size photographs
The documents can be certified by: GDC registered professionals, solicitors, notaries or the home country dental registration body.
(A Certificate of Good Standing is a certificate or letter issued by the registration authority for dentists where the applicant graduated (and any other country where the applicant worked as a dentist)).
14. Will I have to submit any health documents?
As the ORE does not involve a test on a real patient, applicants for the ORE do not have to submit any health documents for the purpose of sitting the examination. Candidates are advised that proof of health will be required for GDC registration after passing the examination.
15. What is the English language requirement for the ORE?
For the purpose of the ORE, candidates are required to submit a single original stamped academic IELTS Test Report Form, showing a minimum overall score of 7.0, and with a score of no less than 6.5 in any of the individual sections. The IELTS Test Report Form must be no more than two years old upon receipt. A score of 6.0 or below in any section will not be accepted and the results of two or more tests cannot be combined.
This applies to all candidates who are not British or EEA Nationals, or entitled to be treated as such. A candidate entitled to be treated as an EEA national is someone who is a spouse of an EEA national who has moved to live in the UK. Please read the relevant guidance to find out whether you are entitled to be treated as an EEA national in the UK (if you are not an EEA national yourself). Spouses of UK nationals are not exempt from the English language requirement and must submit an acceptable academic IELTS test report form with their application.
The IELTS test is not administered by the GDC. It is administered by the British Council. For information on the IELTS test please visit: www.ielts.org.
16. Will an alternative English language qualification be accepted?
Only Academic IELTS Test Report Forms will be accepted as part of the ORE application process. Other language tests or qualifications and the length of time spent in an English-speaking country will not be considered.
17. How long will it take for an application to be processed?
Once we receive your application we will contact you with the status of the application. The time to process an application depends on the receipt of complete and satisfactory references and application documents. Therefore we request that you supply us with your referees’ current e-mail addresses as electronic mail is the preferred method of communication for the GDC and will also speed up the processing time for your application.
18. Will my documents be checked?
Yes, we will check your documents and references and to speed up this process we request that you provide us with the most up to date information for yourself and your referees.
19. What will happen if my application for the ORE is rejected?
If your application is rejected, you will be given the reasons why and advised on what you need to do to have your application accepted.
20. Once my correctly completed application has been checked and approved, how long will I have to wait to be invited to sit Part 1 of the ORE?
Part 1 takes place approximately twice a year and invitations to candidates on the waiting list are sent out around ten weeks before this date. Candidates who have had their application approved will be invited for the next available diet according to their position on the waiting list. This means that new candidates may not be invited to the next scheduled Part 1 diet if there are sufficient existing candidates ahead of them on the waiting list.
21. How does the GDC allocate places on the examination?
The GDC Exams Team will email invitations to all candidates on the waiting list for each Part of examination approximately 8-10 weeks before an examination diet. Candidates are required to telephone with payment as soon as possible after they have received their invitation as the places are reserved on first come, first served basis. It is only possible to reserve a place on the examination if a payment is received; if you are sending a cheque please call to first to ensure that places are still available. A short reserve list will be operated for each examination in case candidates withdraw from the examination due to unforeseen circumstances.
You are advised to familiarise yourself with the dates of the examinations and decide when you will be financially and academically ready to sit. You should then check your email inbox on a regular basis ten weeks before the date of this examination so that you may respond quickly to your invitation.
22. How many centres run the examination?
- Part 1 is run by King’s College, London
- Part 2 is run by a consortium group and the four sections of the examination are held at separate venues. All four venues are situated close within proximity of each other.
23. How long does it take to complete the whole examination process?
The ORE is designed to be a streamlined process for candidates and examination suppliers and take less time to complete overall than the IQE. If a candidate passed each examination at the first attempt, they could complete the examination in around six to twelve months.
24. Do I have to accept an invitation to an examination?
If you are not able to sit the examination to which you are invited, you may refuse the invitation. A refusal does not count as an attempt towards the examination and your name will be returned to the relevant waiting list. Demand for places on Part 1 and Part 2 examinations is high and a refusal of an invitation will result in you being returned to the end of the waiting list. Refusing a place on an examination may deprive another candidate of a seat on the examination diet concerned. We would wish to stress that when applying to take the ORE you should be both financially and academically prepared to accept an invitation for either the Part 1 or Part 2 examination.
We no longer suspend candidates from the waiting list for regular refusals or lack of response to an invitation, but you will have to send the GDC Exams Team a new valid Certificate of Good Standing if there is a gap of 12 months or longer between sittings.
25. When do I need to pay fees for an examination?
When the GDC writes to you to inform you that you have been allocated an examination date, the email will outline the amount you need to pay and acceptable methods of payment. Please do not send payment with your application. We will not accept payment from a candidate who has not been invited to a specific examination.
26. How many times can I sit each Part? What are the options if I fail four times?
- Candidates are allowed up to four attempts at each Part of the ORE
- Current IQE candidates who transfer to the ORE and who have to sit the supplementary paper are allowed two attempts at that paper (after which they will be given up to four attempts to pass the whole of Part 1 and then up to four attempts to pass Part 2)
- Current IQE candidates who transfer to the Medical Emergencies section of ORE Part 2 will have two attempts at that paper (after which they will be given up to four attempts to pass the whole of Part 2)
- If you fail either Part 1 or Part 2 of the examination four times you will not be given the opportunity to sit the examination again
27. Will there be a time limit in which I have to complete the examination?
The ORE candidates will have to pass Part 2 within 5 years of first sitting Part 1.
28. Where can I get information on postgraduate study?
For information and advice on postgraduate study please contact:
National Advice Centre for Postgraduate Dental Education
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7869 6804
Email: nacpde@rcseng.ac.uk Website: www.rcseng.ac.uk/fds/nacpde
29. What sort of visa do I need to sit the examination?
The functions of the GDC are separate from those in charge of administering visas. Therefore, the GDC is unable to advise on visas. Candidates are responsible for ensuring that they are permitted to be in the UK to take the examinations that they are invited to. For information on visas and entry to the UK, please contact:
Work Permits (UK)
Border and Immigration Agency
Customer Contact Centre
Managed Migration Directorate
Home Office
PO BOX 3468
Sheffield
S3 8WA
Tel: + 44 (0) 114 207 4074
Fax: + 44 (0) 114 207 4000
Email: wpcustomers@ind.homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Website: UK Border Agency | Work permits
If you make payment for an examination and then are unable to obtain a visa, you will not be refunded your fees. It is your responsibility to ensure that you can obtain a visa before you make payment for an examination.
30. Can a candidate work in the UK as a dentist while waiting to complete the ORE?
Yes, you can work, but you must have temporary registration with the GDC. Please be aware that posts available under temporary registration are limited and there is also a very high demand for these posts.
For information and advice on employment in UK dentistry, you may wish to contact:
British Dental Association
Tel: +44 (0) 020 7935 0875
Email: enquires@bda-dentistry.org.uk
31. How can I find a job in the UK?
Since the GDC deals with the regulation of dentists and dental care professionals, we do not advise on employment opportunities. However, helpful information can be provided by the British Dental Association (BDA):
British Dental Association
Tel: +44 (0) 020 7935 0875
Email: enquires@bda-dentistry.org.uk
32. Do I need to take vocational training (VT)? How do I find a VT place?
Candidates wishing to work within the NHS will be required to enter a ‘performers’ list’. In order to get onto such a list you will need to be evaluated for suitability. This may mean that you are required to undertake up to a year’s VT equivalence training. For further advice, you should contact the local Primary Care Trust (PCT) or Dental Deanery where you wish to work.