Gaby Bissett speaks to an overseas-trained dentist about his frustrations with the overseas registration exam (ORE) and the impact it is having on UK dentistry.
The dentist graduated with a degree in dentistry in 2018. He went on to obtain his master’s in oral implant dentistry in 2022.
But today, he works as a fast food server at a McDonald’s in Leicester.
In 2022, he moved to the UK in the hopes of developing his dental career. At the time, he had plans to work as a dental therapist whilst he studied and prepared for the ORE. But shortly after he arrived, the dental therapist route was closed for international dentists.
‘I suddenly found myself competing for ORE spaces in an extremely competitive environment, something I fear is not going to end any time soon,’ he said.
‘As I can’t work as a dental therapist, I’ve been forced into non-medical jobs to support myself. It’s been almost three years now.’
First come, first served
One of his biggest grievances is the ‘first come, first served’ method that the ORE operates on. Much like trying to secure Glastonbury tickets, it comes down to those with the faster finger on the day exam spaces are released – or in other words, pure luck.
‘It’s very stressful for so many reasons but the most frustrating part is it doesn’t matter whether you’ve been applying for three years or three weeks – everyone has the same chance,’ he explains.
‘You find yourself feeling jealous, which is really natural as you find friends who have just graduated applying and attempting the exam whereas you’re on your third, fourth, fifth try.
‘It creates a lot of chaos.’
For three years, therefore, he has not been able to work as a dentist. In this time, he has instead worked as a dental nurse and in roles at fast food restaurants – with his latest job being in McDonald’s, where his responsibilities include cleaning the toilets.
From living in the north east, Sunderland and now Leicester, he has felt unable to settle.
‘When you’re stuck in this position, getting paid minimum wage, it doesn’t matter where you live,’ he says.
‘I don’t feel like I’ve entered the UK yet, to be honest.’
Solving the workforce gap
The UK is desperate for dentists. A recent report by the Association of Dental Groups (ADG) suggests that 4.5 million patients are going untreated annually due to the 2,749 shortfall in the dental workforce. Around 5,000 fully-trained dentists are in the queue to practise. But the current ORE and registration ‘bottleneck’, it argues, is seriously hindering attempts for this gap to be filled.
For him, there are two main solutions: reopening the dental therapist route so international dentists can work clinically whilst they await an ORE space, and provisional registration.
‘There must be a route for internationally-qualified dentists to be able to work here, prove themselves and help to solve the NHS dental crisis,’ he says.
‘One way to do this is through provisional registration, which does exist but seemingly only in hospital settings. I do understand that public safety is important – but judgement can be taken on the education and experience of an individual. Much like foundation training, international dentists should be able to work under supervision, many of whom will also have more experience than newly-qualified dentists.
‘Another point to make is the counter-productive move of closing the dental therapist and hygienist route for overseas clinicians. I understand they want to shift the focus to encourage clinicians to take the ORE but with the high level of competition for spaces, this decision is ultimately disadvantaging the patient and the public.’
He added: ‘It’s a very outdated system that needs to be looked at and reformed in order to allow international dentists to practise – and protect those already here in the UK. This will not only benefit the dentists and let them prove themselves but also solve the workforce issues in UK dentistry.’
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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