Guides
The registration routes, current and sourced
The ORE, the LDS and the MFDS all changed in 2026 — new providers, new formats and, in one case, a 65% fee rise. These are written from the awarding bodies' own pages, with every figure dated and linked.
Start here
If you have not decided on a route yet, or you are working out what the whole thing costs and what evidence you need, start with these.
GDC registration for overseas dentists: the 2026 routes
Two exam routes lead to the same register. What the ORE and the LDS each cost, what you need in place before you can apply, and how long it actually takes.
CompareORE Part 1 vs LDS Part 1: which route should you take?
Both lead to GDC registration but differ on cost, format and track record. An honest 2026 comparison.
CostsWhat GDC registration actually costs in 2026
Every fee from application to your first year on the register, for both routes — including the ones most pages leave out.
DocumentsUK ENIC Statement of Comparability for dentists
Both routes ask for one, it is the slowest document to obtain, and it is the one most often left until last.
EnglishIELTS for GDC registration, and why OET is not on the list
The GDC names IELTS Academic 7.0 with 6.5 in each skill. The alternatives, and why the LDS requirement is unclear.
EvidenceThe 1,600 clinical hours: what counts, and when they must fall
The number is the same on both routes. The timing is not — and on the LDS that difference decides when you can book Part 2.
The ORE route
The General Dental Council route. Two parts, sat in person, and the more established of the two.
Registering with the GDC through the ORE: the 2026 route
The exam changed hands in March 2026 and the fees changed in May. The current route, step by step, with every figure sourced.
OREORE Part 1 exam format: Paper A and Paper B explained
Two computer-based papers, what each covers, the single-best-answer format and the timings.
OREBooking ORE Part 1: what happens on the day places open
Six hundred places, first-come first-served, and a booking system that failed twice in 2026.
OREHow to prepare for ORE Part 1 in 8 weeks
A week-by-week plan for a working dentist. Realistic hours, not a fantasy timetable.
OREBest ORE Part 1 question bank in 2026: what to look for
What separates a bank that teaches from one that just tests: coverage, explained wrong answers, weak-area analytics.
The LDS route
The Royal College of Surgeons of England route. Three parts, cheaper, restructured in 2026.
The LDS in 2026: three parts, a new format, a low pass rate
The Royal College route was restructured this year. About £3,000 cheaper than the ORE — and considerably less proven.
LDSLDS Part 1 exam format: two papers, sat at home
Two three-hour papers on consecutive days under remote proctoring. The format, the kit, and the deadline that catches people out.
LDSHow to prepare for LDS Part 1 in 8 weeks
Diagnose first, sweep the syllabus, then rehearse two papers on consecutive days before the real sitting.
MFDS
The postgraduate membership exam, rebuilt for the single tri-collegiate format that replaced the separate college exams in October 2026.
The MFDS has been replaced — what it means for you
One tri-collegiate exam replaced the separate college exams in October 2026. Hold Part 1 but not Part 2? You have a deadline.
MFDSMFDS Part 1 vs ORE Part 1: overlap and how to prepare
Much of the same core knowledge, different purpose and awarding body. How to revise the shared syllabus once.