News
Changes worth knowing about
Announcements from the GDC, the Royal Colleges and the dental press that change what a candidate should do. Each links to the original — we would rather you read the source than take our word for it.
23 July 2026International dentists left angry by new LDS assessment as ORE booking problems continueReports that around five of ninety-five candidates passed the new LDS Part 2 in June, and continued difficulty with the GDC's booking platform.Dentistry.co.uk15 July 2026ORE Part 2 booking postponed hours before places releasedThe 14 July window was pushed to 21 July with hours' notice for further testing, leaving successful candidates a week less to prepare.Dentistry.co.uk6 May 2026First ORE sittings and fees under new contract confirmedPart 2 to £6,967, Part 1 down to £485, application fee to £115, and VAT now applying. The single most consequential announcement of the year for ORE candidates.GDC10 March 2026More dentists coming as government boosts number who can practiseA £420,000 grant to take LDS final-exam places from 180 to 1,800 by 2028, enabling around 1,350 overseas-trained dentists to register a year.GOV.UK9 March 2026Expansion of Licence in Dental Surgery exam places1,000 Part 1 places in 2026 rising to 2,000 a year from 2027, with more Part 2 and Part 3 capacity.RCS England9 March 2026More details on the new ORE contractUCL Consultants Ltd confirmed as provider, with UCLH, Queen Mary, Alphaplus and RCS England as partners. Part 2 moves to the UCL Eastman Dental Institute.GDC24 November 2025The MFDS qualification is changingOne tri-collegiate MFDS replaces the separate college exams. Part-completion of the legacy exam carries no exemption.Dental Examinations Executive5 November 2025New Overseas Registration Exam provider confirmed by GDCUCL Consultants named as preferred bidder, ending the long-running arrangement with King's.Dentistry.co.uk
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We link out rather than rewriting. The value is in the selection and the dating: exam fees, formats and booking windows changed repeatedly through 2026, and a lot of what ranks well in search is now simply wrong. If something here has gone stale, tell us and we will fix it.