1.3 Eligibility, Fees, Attempts and Time Limits
Key Takeaways
- The ORE application processing fee is GBP 115 and the ORE Part 1 examination fee is GBP 485 per sitting, with fees normally non-refundable.
- Applicants must evidence at least 1,600 hours of clinical experience treating patients in the dental chair through clinical reference forms no more than three months old.
- Candidates are allowed up to four attempts at each part of the ORE, and failing either part four times ends eligibility permanently.
- ORE Part 2 must be passed within five years of the first attempt at ORE Part 1, with the clock starting on the day Part 1 is first sat.
- ORE Part 1 is delivered for the GDC by UCL Consultants at London test centres, with 600 places per sitting and booking windows opening about eight weeks in advance.
Getting onto the Candidate List
Before you can book Part 1 you must complete the GDC's online application and be added to the ORE candidate list. The application requires:
- A character reference on the GDC form. If you graduated within the last 12 months this must come from the head of your dental school or their nominee; otherwise it may come from another professional such as a doctor, dentist or lawyer who has known you for more than 12 months. It cannot be a family member, and typed signatures are not accepted.
- One or more clinical references evidencing at least 1,600 hours of clinical experience treating patients in the dental chair. The forms must be no more than three months old at the time of application.
- Certified copies of your qualification certificate, certified by a notary public, commissioner for oaths, justice of the peace, lawyer, solicitor or authorised embassy official — who must be a different person from your character referee.
- A UK ENIC Statement of Comparability for your primary dental qualification.
- A Certificate of Good Standing or Certificate of Current Professional Status from the dental authority where you last worked, and from the country where you qualified if different. It cannot be more than three months old at registration.
- An online identity check using a valid passport.
The GDC aims to assess complete applications within 60 working days, longer at peak times.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| ORE application processing fee (one-off) | GBP 115 |
| ORE Part 1 examination fee (per sitting) | GBP 485 |
| ORE Part 2 examination fee (per sitting) | GBP 6,967 |
| Retake of the medical emergencies component (Part 2) | GBP 686 |
Examination fees are not normally refundable; read the GDC's refund and withdrawal policies before booking. If your application is rejected because a referee does not respond and you cannot resubmit within 28 days, you may have to pay the application processing fee again.
Attempts and the Five-Year Rule
Two limits operate together and they are not the same thing:
- Four attempts at each part. You are allowed up to four attempts at Part 1 and four at Part 2. Failing either part four times ends your eligibility to sit the ORE permanently.
- Five years to pass Part 2. You must pass ORE Part 2 within five years of your first attempt at ORE Part 1. The clock starts on the day you first sit Part 1, not on the day you join the candidate list and not on the day you pass Part 1.
The combination is what catches people out. A candidate who uses three attempts at Part 1 over four years has very little of the five-year window left for Part 2, even though they still have Part 2 attempts available. This is why booking pressure matters: the GDC reserves priority booking places for candidates approaching the five-year limit and for dental professionals with refugee status.
Booking, Venues and Delivery
- Part 1 is delivered for the GDC by UCL Consultants, working through a consortium that includes UCL Eastman and AlphaPlus; the provider's candidate-facing policies are published at orepart1.org.uk. Earlier sittings were delivered under a contract with King's College London.
- Sittings take place at computer test centres in London. Current venues are Teamco on Gray's Inn Road, Escalla in Kentish Town, and Tobacco Dock in Wapping. The provider allocates and confirms your venue.
- Each sitting offers 600 places, and booking windows open roughly eight weeks in advance. Demand is extreme: the GDC has reported all places being taken within 30 minutes of a booking window opening.
- The provider publishes a familiarisation exercise reproducing the exam delivery software. Use it. Losing marks because you have not seen the flag-for-review and navigation controls before is entirely avoidable.
Alternatives and Common Misconceptions
- The Licence in Dental Surgery (LDS) of the Royal College of Surgeons of England is a separate, parallel route to GDC registration, not a fallback after ORE failure.
- The University of Lancashire BDS (International Route) allows entry to a UK dental degree with advanced standing.
- There are no exemptions. Holding an MFDS or any other membership or postgraduate diploma does not exempt you from any part of the ORE.
- Once you have passed the ORE there is no time limit on applying for registration.
Planning rule. Work backwards from the five-year deadline, not forwards from today. Decide the latest Part 2 sitting you could realistically use, subtract the Part 2 booking lead time, and let that tell you how many Part 1 attempts you can actually afford to spend.
A dentist first sat ORE Part 1 in March 2022 and failed. They passed Part 1 at their third attempt in October 2025. They now hold an MFDS and ask whether this exempts them from Part 2 and whether they have plenty of time remaining. What is the correct advice?