The Association of Dental Groups (ADG), the UK’s leading representative body for Dental Groups across NHS, Private and Community-Based Services, welcomes this week’s announcement from the General Dental Council (GDC) confirming the first sittings and expanded capacity for the Overseas Registration Examination (ORE) under its new contract with UCL Consultants Ltd.
The ADG has long called for a more predictable, better‑resourced ORE system to help address the UK’s chronic dental workforce shortages. This update, setting out confirmed exam dates for 2026/27, increased capacity and a modernised booking process marks meaningful progress towards enabling more internationally qualified dentists to join the UK register and support patient access.
Neil Carmichael, Executive Chair, Association of Dental Groups, said: “This announcement is a significant and positive step forward. For too long, the ORE bottleneck has prevented highly trained international dentists already living in the UK from contributing to patient care. The GDC’s commitment to a more stable, better planned examination schedule and registration process is exactly the kind of practical reform the sector has been urging.
“The expanded capacity, particularly the planned growth in Part 2 places, will help unlock a vital source of workforce supply at a time when dental deserts and unmet need continue to grow. These internationally trained clinicians are ready to take on the robust Overseas Registration Examinations and become valuable members of UK dentistry’s workforce. This update gives them a clearer and more reliable pathway to registration.
“We look forward to working with the GDC, DHSC and wider partners to ensure this momentum continues. The GDC’s ambition to increase capacity further for ORE Part 2 sittings by year three of the contract is also noted and commitment to this is important. A sustainable workforce model for dentistry must include a functioning, efficient ORE system that enables internationally qualified dentists to join the register safely, swiftly and at scale.”
