Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the General Dental Council on proposed changes to the Overseas Registration Exam.

The Department works closely with the General Dental Council (GDC) to support the efficient delivery of the Overseas Registration Exam (ORE), whilst maintaining high standards within the dental profession. We welcome the GDC’s recent announcement that it has increased the number of places available to sit both parts of the ORE in 2023 and 2024. This will enable individuals with overseas qualifications to more quickly gain the opportunity to become registered dentists in the United Kingdom. Legislative changes that came into force in March 2023 have given the GDC greater flexibility in the running of the ORE. The GDC recently consulted on routes to registration for internationally qualified dentists and dental care professionals, including rules relating to the ORE. We look forward to GDC publishing the outcome of this consultation shortly.