Eligibility, Booking & the MFDS Pathway
Key Takeaways
Eligibility is a self-declaration process: a primary dental qualification acceptable to the three colleges' Councils, registration with a recognised dental regulatory body in your country of practice, and clinical experience sufficient to meet the COPDEND Dental Core Training learning outcomes
Candidates must have a good command of English 'akin to IELTS 7'; the examination is conducted entirely in English
Applications are made through the risr/apply portal in phased windows — Phase 1 is open to candidates with current active UK GDC or Dental Council of Ireland registration, Phase 2 to all candidates
The Part 1 fee is £800 and Part 2 is £1,100; withdrawal before the application window closes attracts a refund less a 20% administrative charge
Candidates have four attempts at Part 1 and four at Part 2, and Part 2 must be passed within four years of passing Part 1
Who Can Sit MFDS Part 1?
Eligibility is set out in the MFDS Examination Eligibility Criteria published by the Dental Examinations Executive. It is explicitly a self-declaration process: you certify that you meet the criteria and upload supporting evidence, and certification can be withdrawn if the evidence turns out to be incomplete.
| Requirement | What the published criteria say |
|---|---|
| Primary dental qualification | Certified evidence of a primary dental qualification acceptable to the Councils of RCS Edinburgh, RCS England and RCPS Glasgow |
| Clinical experience | Sufficient clinical experience to demonstrate competency against the learning outcomes of the COPDEND Dental Core Training curricula — the standard is a dentist completing DCT3, about four years of postgraduate training |
| Clinical registration | Registration with a recognised dental regulatory body in your country of practice that is recognised by the colleges. Note this is broader than UK GDC registration — GDC registration is not itself a precondition |
| English language | A good command of English akin to IELTS 7, because the examination is conducted entirely in English |
| Progression | You must pass Part 1 before applying for Part 2 |
Common misconception: the criteria do not require registration with the GDC or the Dental Council of Ireland. Holding one of those registrations matters for a different reason — it determines which application phase you can enter (see below).
How to Book
Applications are made through the risr/apply platform. You create an account at any time, but you can only apply during an open application window, and submitting an application does not guarantee a place.
Booking steps
- Create a risr/apply account and select the diet you want.
- Complete the application form in full, uploading the required documents and self-certifying your eligibility.
- Pay the fee — the application is only submitted once the fee is paid in full. MFDS Part 1 is £800 and Part 2 is £1,100. Fees are set by the Dental Assessment Planning and Review Group and reviewed annually.
- Wait for confirmation — successful applicants are notified of their place no later than one week after the application window closes.
- Attend the assessment centre. Centres are advertised by city, with the exact venue released after the window closes and final numbers are known. Bring your passport; exceptionally, another official photographic identity document with your name and signature is accepted.
Phased application windows
To stop UK trainees being displaced by international demand, applications open in phases:
| Phase | Who may apply |
|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Candidates with a current active UK General Dental Council or Dental Council of Ireland registration |
| Phase 2 | All other candidates, plus Phase 1 candidates |
Windows are published on the Dental Examinations Executive website and notified to bodies such as COPDEND and the Dental Schools Association.
Withdrawals, adjustments and visas
- Withdrawal before the application window closes attracts a refund of the fee less a 20% administrative charge. After the window closes, refer to the Extenuating Circumstances Policy; you cannot transfer to a later diet and must reapply.
- Reasonable adjustments for learning differences or disability are requested on the application form with supporting written evidence — a GP or specialist report, an educational psychologist's report, or an equivalent professional letter.
- Visas are the candidate's responsibility. The Executive will issue a visa support letter on request, but it does not guarantee a visa.
The MFDS Pathway: Part 1 → Part 2 → Membership
Primary dental qualification acceptable to the three Colleges
+ registration with a recognised dental regulatory body
+ English akin to IELTS 7
+ clinical experience meeting the COPDEND DCT outcomes
|
v
MFDS Part 1 - written paper
(2 x 90 SBA, 2 hours per paper, in an assessment centre)
|
v (must pass Part 1 first; up to 4 attempts)
MFDS Part 2 - 14-station OSCE
(communication/history taking AND clinical judgement/professional
practice; both areas must be passed; up to 4 attempts;
must be passed within 4 years of passing Part 1)
|
v
Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery
(join any UK surgical royal college; more than one is permitted)
|
v
Criterion for entry to the Dental Specialty Fellowship Examinations
Attempts and time limits
- Four attempts at Part 1 and four attempts at Part 2 under the current MFDS Regulations.
- Part 2 must be passed within four years of passing Part 1. (An earlier draft of the regulations required all parts within four years of the first attempt; version 1.1, effective 16 March 2026, replaced that wording — check the version you are reading.)
- Legacy candidates were allowed six attempts at the legacy Part 1, and legacy attempts do not transfer to the new examination.
What Is MFDS For?
MFDS is a membership diploma, not a licence to practise. Its published purposes are:
- Evidence of the end-of-core-training knowledge standard. The examination is explicitly benchmarked to a dentist completing DCT3.
- A criterion for entry to the Dental Specialty Fellowship Examinations, which is stated in both the syllabus and the assessment strategy.
- A factor in recruitment. The regulations note that successful completion is one factor the GDC and UK or international employers may consider in job application criteria.
- College membership, with the post-nominal MFDS and access to college activities, on payment of the relevant election fee and subscription.
MFDS and MJDF: the MJDF (Membership of the Joint Dental Faculties) has historically been offered by RCS England as a parallel membership. Arrangements are changing alongside the MFDS reform, so check the current position on the college website rather than relying on older guidance.
Before You Apply — Checklist
- Primary dental qualification acceptable to the three Colleges' Councils, with certified evidence ready to upload.
- Current registration with a recognised dental regulatory body in your country of practice.
- Honest self-assessment of your clinical experience against the COPDEND DCT learning outcomes.
- English akin to IELTS 7.
- The correct diet and phase identified, and the window open to you.
- £800 available at the point of application (the application is not submitted until the fee is paid).
- Passport valid and in your registered name; any name change evidenced.
- Reasonable adjustment evidence submitted with the application, not afterwards.
Which statement most accurately describes the clinical registration requirement in the published MFDS eligibility criteria?
Candidates must be registered with a recognised dental regulatory body in their country of practice that is recognised by the Colleges
Candidates must hold current UK General Dental Council registration
No registration of any kind is required to sit Part 1
Candidates must hold registration with both the GDC and the Dental Council of Ireland
A candidate passes MFDS Part 1 at the first attempt but then takes a career break. What time limit applies to Part 2?
There is no time limit once Part 1 is passed
All parts must be passed within four years of the first Part 1 attempt
Part 2 must be passed within two years of passing Part 1
Part 2 must be passed within four years of passing Part 1
A candidate withdraws their MFDS Part 1 application two days before the application window closes and asks about a refund. What applies?
No refund is available under any circumstances
A full refund is given, and the place can be transferred to the next diet
The fee is refunded less a 20% administrative charge, and withdrawal after the window closes falls under the Extenuating Circumstances Policy with no transfer to a later diet
The fee is held as credit against the Part 2 examination
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.