Almost 1,500 people have signed Dentistry‘s petition calling for a fairer overseas registration exam (ORE) booking system. Here, the executive director of strategy at the General Dental Council (GDC), Stefan Czerniawski, responds and explains how the regulator is making changes.
The voices and frustrations raised through Dentistry’s petition calling for reforms to the ORE booking system matter to us – we hear you and have long recognised its shortcomings.
We intend to reform the exam so it better meets current and future needs. At present, talented, qualified dentists must compete in a scramble to secure a slot; this is not the experience we want for dental professionals seeking to contribute to UK dentistry.
‘While change of this scale takes time, I want to assure candidates and stakeholders that we’re determined to make things better and have already made significant progress’
Demand for places has increased by 400% since 2022. Addressing this demand requires a complex combination of legislative, contractual and operational changes. We must maintain examination integrity and fair access for all candidates while operating within our regulatory framework – which means thoughtful implementation rather than rushed changes.
While change of this scale takes time, I want to assure candidates and stakeholders that we’re determined to make things better and have already made significant progress. Over the past year, we have substantially increased ORE capacity, working within the constraints of our existing contracts. We’ve tripled the number of places for ORE Part 1 and increased Part 2 capacity by a third.
‘Invaluable’ contributions
In the past two years we have agreed new rules for international registration and cleared the backlog of 5,700 applications from overseas qualified dentists wanting to register as dental hygienists and dental therapists, a route which has now closed.
We’re pleased to confirm that the latest stage of the procurement process to award the new contract for the ORE has now concluded, after a rigorous and competitive UK-wide bidding process. We’re currently finalising the contractual arrangements, which we anticipate will be completed by the end of the year.
The new contract will represent a major milestone that will increase our capacity, helping overseas dentists progress through the ORE and onto the register in a timely way. In the coming weeks, we will share further information regarding the contract award, delivery plans and future exam capacity.
Last year, around 10,000 dental professionals joined the register – we are registering 25% more dentists than in 2019 – with about 30% of all dentists on the register qualifying outside the UK. In 2024, 354 dentists joined the register after passing the ORE. By the end of August this year, we had already registered almost 400 dentists through this route, which is more than one third of the annual output from UK dental schools. Their contribution to dental care is invaluable, particularly in addressing current challenges across the UK’s health system.
Change of this scale doesn’t happen overnight, but we’re committed to keeping you updated and getting this right.
Sign our petition on reforming the ORE booking system below
Make the ORE booking system fairer for dentists
Signatures (88%)
Goal
Make the overseas registration exam (ORE) booking system fairer for dentists
We call on the General Dental Council (GDC) to reform the booking system for the overseas registration exam (ORE) to make it fairer and more supportive of internationally-trained dentists.
Currently, securing a place for ORE Part 1 and Part 2 is like getting festival tickets — the system favours ‘fastest-finger first’, with how long a dentist has been trying to book a place carrying no weight. Dentists must repeatedly refresh the webpage and compete in a stressful, luck-based race to book an exam. We feel this approach:
– Penalises perseverance: Those who have already invested time, money and effort in previous attempts are not given priority
– Causes unnecessary stress: Candidates face months or years of uncertainty while waiting for an exam slot
– Wastes talent: Skilled overseas dentists are unable to practise – even as the UK faces critical dental workforce shortages.
We propose a fairer system where priority is given to candidates who have previously attempted to book the ORE – allowing the process to be truly first come, first served.
Reforming the booking system is an effective short-term step that can be implemented quickly to relieve pressure on candidates and the dental workforce.
We acknowledge that broader, complementary action is also necessary, including the continued growth of available ORE places, and investment in UK dental schools and training capacities.
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