ORE Part 1: question practice and revision.

Choose a topic for focused revision and check your plan against the official specification.

• Restorative dentistry — caries management, endodontics, fixed and removable prosthodontics
• Periodontology — diagnosis, classification, non-surgical and surgical management
• Oral surgery — exodontia, complications, surgical anatomy, basic implant placement principles
• Oral medicine and pathology — ulcers, oral cancer, autoimmune, infections, premalignant lesions
• Orthodontics — assessment, common appliances, IOTN, GP-level interceptive treatment
• Paediatric dentistry — caries prevention, behavioural management, sedation, MIH
• Dental and maxillofacial radiology — interpretation, justification, IRMER 2017 compliance
• Human disease and medicine — common comorbidities, BBV, antibiotic prophylaxis, bisphosphonates
• Pharmacology and prescribing — common dental drugs, interactions, controlled drugs
• Medical emergencies in dental practice — anaphylaxis, syncope, hypoglycaemia, MI, choking
• Public dental health, prevention, fluoride, sugar tax
• Special care dentistry — frailty, dementia, mental capacity in dental practice
• Law, ethics, GDC Standards for the Dental Team, consent, confidentiality
• Health and safety, infection control, decontamination (HTM 01-05)

Drawn from the GDC ORE syllabus, "Preparing for Practice" learning outcomes, and current UK dental clinical and regulatory guidance.

• GDC Standards for the Dental Team — "Nine principles" of UK dental ethics: putting patients' interests first, communicating effectively, obtaining valid consent, maintaining and protecting patient information, having a clear and effective complaints procedure, working with colleagues, maintaining and developing professional knowledge and skills, raising concerns, making sure personal behaviour maintains confidence
• Medical emergencies in dental practice — anaphylaxis (adrenaline 500 mcg IM, repeat at 5 min), syncope (lay flat, legs up), hypoglycaemia (oral glucose if conscious, glucagon 1 mg IM if not), MI (300 mg aspirin, 2-puff GTN), acute asthma (4-10 puffs salbutamol via spacer), choking (5 back blows + 5 abdominal thrusts), seizure (protect airway, time)
• Antibiotic prophylaxis — current SDCEP/NICE position on prophylaxis before dental procedures (NICE generally recommends against routine prophylaxis for IE except in specific high-risk groups). Antimicrobial stewardship principles, common dental antibiotic choices, BNF for Dentistry references.
• Bisphosphonate/antiresorptive drugs and MRONJ — recognising at-risk patients, modifications to extraction protocols, SDCEP guidance on managing MRONJ risk in primary care dentistry, low-risk vs high-risk procedures
• Caries management — current evidence base for selective vs complete caries removal, stepwise excavation, Hall technique in paediatric dentistry, ICCMS framework, prevention pyramid (fluoride toothpaste strengths by age, fluoride varnish frequency)
• IRMER 2017 (Ionising Radiation Medical Exposure Regulations) — justification, optimisation, dose reference levels, employer/practitioner/operator/referrer roles, governance in dental radiography
• Periodontal classification 2017 — the BSP/EFP grading system replacing the old 1999 classification: staging (severity I-IV), grading (rate of progression A-C), extent, and complexity. UK practice now uses this framework for charting and treatment planning.
• Mental Capacity Act in dental practice — assessing capacity (2-stage test), best interests framework, treating without consent in dental practice, recognising safeguarding concerns in adults and children

Observations from overseas-qualified dentists sitting the ORE Part 1. Verify against current GDC, SDCEP, BSP and BNF for Dentistry guidance.

Candidate-reported observations — not official guidance.

1. UK vs home-country protocols — antibiotic prophylaxis for IE, anticoagulant management in dental surgery, caries management philosophy, infection control standards. UK practice may differ from where you trained. The ORE tests UK practice, not international norms.
2. New ORE contract from August 2026 — UCL Consultants Ltd now delivers the exam. Format and venue may differ from materials based on the previous (King's College-led) delivery. Always check the GDC ORE Part 1 page for current authoritative information.
3. New periodontal classification — the 2017 BSP/EFP classification replaced the 1999 system. Materials based on pre-2018 systems are outdated. Knowing how to stage and grade periodontitis is examined directly.
4. Mental Capacity Act and dental consent — the UK MCA applies to dental procedures. Two-stage test for capacity, best interests framework, Liberty Protection Safeguards. Differs from non-UK regulatory frameworks.
5. BNF for Dentistry — the UK Dental Practitioners' Formulary section of the BNF is the reference for dental prescribing. Restricted list of dental prescriptions for NHS dental practice. International formularies differ.
6. 5-year time window — all ORE attempts (Part 1 and Part 2) must complete within 5 years of first Part 1 attempt. Plan revision and Part 2 access carefully; Part 2 places have historically been more limited than Part 1.
7. GDC Standards examined in nuance — the Nine Principles are tested with specific scenarios. Knowing the rules in principle is not enough; candidates need to apply them to common dental practice dilemmas (raising concerns, social media, intimate examinations, dental tourism).
8. Cross-infection and decontamination — UK HTM 01-05 standards for primary care dental practice are very specific (autoclave validation, ultrasonic bath validation, single-use items, water line testing). UK requirements often more rigorous than international counterparts.

A pragmatic phased approach used by recent overseas dentists who passed ORE Part 1 first time.

1. Weeks 1–6

   Foundation pass across all 14 syllabus blocks. 30 questions/day with the iatroX adaptive engine. Read SDCEP guidelines paired to weak topics (caries management, antibiotic prescribing, MRONJ, periodontal classification). Daily GDC Standards principle review.

2. Weeks 7–11

   Targeted weak-area drilling. Map current UK clinical guidelines (SDCEP, BSP periodontal classification 2017, NICE oral cancer referral, BNF for Dentistry). Medical emergencies algorithm rehearsal. Cross-infection and IRMER 2017 detail.

3. Weeks 12–14

   Two timed Paper A + Paper B mock papers per week under exam conditions. Practise the dual-paper stamina. Review every incorrect answer with SDCEP/BSP/GDC source verification.

4. Weeks 15–16

   Bookmark review only. Targeted reading on law, ethics, MCA in dental practice, safeguarding, GDC Standards scenarios. Confirm UCLC booking, venue details, ID requirements. Sleep, hydrate, do not learn new material.

Dedicated ORE Part 1 question practice with answer explanations, guided Tutor review and study planning.

• Focused question practice — Choose the relevant bank and use your answers to identify what to study next.
• Guided reasoning — Explore a difficult answer with Tutor, then apply the distinction independently.
• Review and timed practice — Return to important mistakes and choose a timed practice set where available.

Choose the relevant bank and use the official exam guidance to plan your preparation.

Overseas-qualified dentists whose qualifications are not recognised for purposes of UK GDC registration. Most applicants whose primary qualification is from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) need the ORE. Once both parts are passed, candidates can apply to join the UK dental register. Approximately 30% of UK-registered dentists qualified outside the UK; of these, around a third entered via the ORE.

A computer-based, in-person written examination consisting of two papers (Paper A and Paper B) sat on the same day. From August 2026, the exam is delivered under a new GDC contract with UCL Consultants Ltd at venues in London with expanded capacity (2,400 Part 1 places per year). Candidates must pass both papers to progress to Part 2.

From August 2026: £485 Part 1 fee (reduced 17% from £584 under the previous contract) plus £115 application processing fee (increased 20% from £96). Fees include VAT. ORE Part 2 fee has risen 65% to £6,967. Fees set under the General Dental Council (Dentists) (Fees) Regulations 2026.

Up to 4 attempts at Part 1 and 4 attempts at Part 2. All attempts must be completed — both Parts passed — within 5 years of your first Part 1 attempt date. The GDC offers priority access to candidates nearing the 5-year limit and those with refugee status.

Minimum 1,600 hours of clinical experience personally treating patients in the dental chair, with documentary evidence required during the application process. A recent Certificate of Current Professional Status (CCPS) — no older than 3 months from the GDC application receipt date — is also required.

The ORE is for overseas-qualified dentists seeking UK GDC registration. The LDS (Licence in Dental Surgery, from RCS England) is primarily a UK dental qualification but can also be taken by overseas graduates. The pathways differ; most overseas dentists take the ORE for the GDC registration route.

Full ORE Part 1 bank access is included in all-access. Up to 10 new sample questions per day are shared across exams, with no account required. A verified free account includes one guided Tutor session; continued Tutor use is included in all-access.