The GDC is working with the current providers to increase the capacity of these exams and ensure continuity of service for candidates while new contracts are negotiated. The regulator said there are plans to further increase capacity in 2025.
At the time of the announcement, 600 places were available on the April 2025 sitting of ORE Part 1 and three sittings of ORE Part 2 from January to April 2025, with 144 places on each.
This is in addition to the September 2024 Part 2 sitting, which is fully booked. Bookings will open on September 3, 2024, for the November sitting of Part 2.
Working with the current providers, the GDC has tripled the number of places for the ORE Part 1 and will provide an additional sitting of the ORE Part 2, increasing capacity by a third.
Approximately 30 per cent of all registered dentists qualified outside the UK, making an important and valued contribution to the dental team. Of these, around a third qualified for registration by passing the ORE, designed to test the skills and knowledge of dentists who first qualified outside the UK or EU.
The GDC has seen a substantial increase in ORE applications since 2021, with a total of 2,366 applications in 2023—a fourfold increase on the annual average across the previous five years.
The GDC said the changes mean over 4000 candidates are eligible to book a place on the ORE, with demand for places extremely high.
Theresa Thorp, executive director of regulation at the GDC, said, "Dentists must be registered with the GDC to practise legally in the UK, and one of the most important things we do is to ensure that dentists added to the register meet the required standards for them to provide safe and effective dental care.
“Addressing the unprecedented demand for ORE places requires a complex combination of legislative, contractual and operational changes, so we cannot get there in a single step.”
She added, “We very much want to increase the capacity of the ORE and these additional exam sittings for 2025 will help, with further plans in place to increase capacity next year.”
The GDC has also reminded candidates and stakeholders of the fee changes from January 1, 2025. These are the first changes to fees since 2015. The revised fees will be applied to all ORE sittings and retakes.