Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help increase the number of part 2 overseas registration exam places to help increase the number of dentists delivering NHS care.

The General Dental Council (GDC), as the independent regulator of dentists and dental care professionals in the UK, is responsible for overseeing provision of the Overseas Registration Exam (ORE).

The GDC shortly expects to be able to announce the outcome of its procurement for a new provider to deliver the ORE from April 2026.

Once the new exam provider has been announced, the GDC will meet with me to present its action plan to reduce the waiting list for the ORE, including for those waiting to sit part 2 of the exam. This meeting will take place in the coming weeks. I will continue to meet regularly with the GDC to monitor and review progress as its plan is implemented.