GDC confirms first ORE sittings and fees under new contract
Increasing capacity forms part of a collaborative approach to supporting the workforce and improving access to care for patients
The General Dental Council (GDC) today announced the confirmed sittings, expanded capacity and revised fee structure for the Overseas Registration Examination (ORE) in the first year of its new contract.
Following a competitive procurement process, the GDC signed contracts with UCL Consultants Ltd in March, with the first exams under the new contract scheduled to take place from August.
Exam sittings for 2026/27
The first contract year runs from 31 May 2026 to 30 May 2027. Confirmed Part 1 sittings are as follows:
- 25-26 August 2026 (600 places)
- 14-15 October 2026 (600 places)
- 2-3 February 2027 (600 places)
- 6–7 April 2027 (600 places)
Part 2 sittings:
- 10–13 September 2026 (144 places)
- 26–29 November 2026 (200 places)
- 21–24 January 2027 (200 places)
- 4–7 March 2027 (200 places)
- 15–18 April 2027 (200 places)
Capacity
In the first year, the GDC will provide 2,400 Part 1 exam places and 944 Part 2 exam places.
The focus will be on establishing delivery, including systems, processes and day-to-day operations, safely and sustainably ahead of planned growth in years two and three. Part 2 capacity is set to increase to 1,500 places per year by year three of the contract.
Demand for ORE sittings remains high and places are not expected to meet demand in the short term.
Theresa Thorp, Executive Director of Regulation, General Dental Council: “We want to get as many dental professionals practising in the UK as possible, without compromising patient safety. Internationally qualified dentists make an important and valuable contribution to the dental workforce.
“This announcement marks real and significant progress. The new contract with UCL Consultants gives us a more consistent and predictable framework for the ORE, and the capacity to grow exam numbers in a controlled and sustainable way. We know that candidates have been waiting a long time and that this is stressful. We are determined to make things better, and this is a substantial step in the right direction.”
Fees for 2026/27
ORE fees have been updated for 2026/27 to reflect the cost of delivering the examination under the new contract. The revised fees are as follows:
- Application processing fee: £115 (increased by 20% from £96)
- Part 1 fee: £485 (reduced by 17%, from £584)
- Part 2 fee: £6,967 (increased by 65%, from £4,235)
The Part 2 examination requires specialist clinical facilities, experienced examiners and rigorous quality assurance at scale. The increased capacity under the new contract requires significant capital investment in facilities and equipment by UCL Consultants. VAT now applies to the ORE and is reflected in the fee structure. The Part 2 fee has been set with a view to remaining broadly stable over the next five years.
The fees for the ORE are set under the General Dental Council (Dentists) (Fees) Regulations 2026. Since January 2025, fees have been set at a level aimed at full cost recovery.
Booking
For the first time, candidates will book their ORE sittings through their MyGDC account. The booking window for the August Part 1 sitting will open on 30 June. Candidates are encouraged to ensure they can log in to MyGDC in advance of that date, including resetting their password if required.
Candidates nearing the five-year limit for Part 2 and those with refugee status will be those offered priority access to exam places.
A new candidate portal, including a revised booking system, is being developed as part of the new contract. The new portal should be in place for exams scheduled in 2027.
Wider workforce context
The public can be assured that all dental professionals on the GDC register meet the same high standards, whether they trained in the UK or overseas.
The GDC said that it recognises that there is no single solution to the challenge of NHS dental access. Increasing ORE capacity forms part of a longer-term, collaborative approach to supporting the dental workforce and improving access to dental care for patients, alongside increasing dental school places and the development of alternative registration routes.