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Dentists

DENTISTS NOT FROM EU COUNTRIES

In order to practice in the UK, overseas dentists must register with the regulatory authority, the General Dental Council (GDC).
Qualified dentists from certain countries are automatically eligible for registration with the GDC as their qualifications are recognized as being comparable to their UK counterparts (Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia 1950-1962 and University of Malaya 1997-2000 only, New Zealand, Singapore and most South African dental schools). Dentists from these countries are still required to submit an application for registration.

Nationals from all other non-EU countries are not eligible for automatic registration. Dentists from those countries must either acquire a UK qualification (the Bachelor of Dental Surgery) or pass the GDC’s International Qualifying Examination before being able to practice in the United Kingdom.

The Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) can be taken at several dental schools in Britain. The course lasts five years and typically includes the study of basic medical and dental science and practical training in all aspects of dental practice.

The GDC’s International Qualifying Examination (IQE) is held a few times each year in the UK and consists of both written and clinical components (parts A, B and C). It is a test of competence and candidates should ensure that their knowledge of basic medical sciences and their clinical experience are up-to-date.

The GDC provides information packs on the IQE examination.

Temporary registration

You may instead wish to apply for Temporary registration which will allow you to practice dentistry in the UK in supervised posts only. It is granted for training, teaching, or research purposes only, and for a limited period of time. Dentists with temporary registration cannot work in general or private practice, or in the community dental services until they have completed their period of training.

Finally, you must be proficient in the English language. This will be demonstrated by obtaining the relevant scores in the IELTS test (a minimum of 7 as an overall score). You should contact the British Council in your country of residence for further information as it is they who administer this test.