Dental Protection has welcomed the General Dental Council’s (GDC) announcement of further changes to the Overseas Registration Examination (ORE) whilst calling for support for New-to-UK dental professionals transitioning into UK practice.
Dr Archana Naik, Dentolegal Consultant at Dental Protection said: “Dentists who qualified overseas are a vital part of the dental workforce. Current backlogs have however led to many clinicians being stuck in the examination process for years before being able to register and practice in the UK.
“Our research shows that these dental professionals experience a stressful time emotionally, professionally and financially. We know that the levels of support and practice environments are varied and new registrants can find themselves isolated.
“The good news is that the new ORE contract will result in a much-needed boost to the dental workforce. However, this also means there will be spikes in the number of new registrants who will all be seeking work at the same time.
“As an internationally qualified dentist myself, I know how important it is to have access to appropriate support to help with the transition into UK practice after completing the registration process.
“At Dental Protection, we will continue to focus on how we and others can best support dentists coming to work in the UK. We are engaging with the GDC and other organisations, and we are developing additional support and resources that we will publish shortly for New-to-UK practitioners.”
