Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce burdens on NHS dentistry services, especially by ensuring dentists who are qualified to practice in other countries can be fast-tracked for qualification to practice in the UK.

The General Dental Council (GDC) regulates United Kingdom dentistry and sets the standards for all applicants to its registers. Routes to registration for overseas qualified dentists are set out in legislation.

The Government is working with the GDC to increase the number of overseas-qualified dentists gaining registration to help address National Health Service workforce shortages.

The GDC already offers priority booking to refugee dentists on its Overseas Registration Exam (ORE). Last year I asked the GDC to develop a plan to urgently cut the high ORE waiting list and in November received an update on their work. I have been assured that significant improvements to international registration are expected this year.

I have also asked the GDC for an improved ORE booking system for the new ORE delivery contract, coming into effect from April 2026, and to explore prioritisation of UK resident candidates. I will meet the GDC again for an update on this work once the new contract is finalised.