How to Become a Dentist in the UK from India: My Complete Guide to GDC Registration, ORE, and UK Dental Practice

Table of Contents

1. Introduction: My UK Dentistry Ambitions

When I first thought about moving from India to the UK to work as a dentist, I had so many worries. Would my degree matter? Was it too tough? What exams would I need? If you feel the same, you’re not alone. I’ll explain every step here—no fancy words, just the true things I went through, what was hard, and what worked for me.

This guide goes through all parts: GDC registration, the tough ORE exam, English tests, getting a visa, hunting for work, and even how much money and energy it all took. I’ll show real examples and a few mistakes so you can avoid them. Are you ready? Let’s start.

2. Understanding GDC Registration: The First Hurdle

What’s the GDC and Why Does It Matter?

When I arrived in the UK, the General Dental Council (GDC) quickly became the most important group for me. The GDC is in charge of all dental workers in the UK and makes sure only trained and honest people can treat patients.

Will My Indian Dental Degree Work?

My big question was, “Does my Indian degree count?” The answer is mostly no. The GDC checks if your degree is as good as a UK one. Here’s the truth: most Indian BDS degrees—even famous ones—are not seen as good enough for direct GDC registration. So, just like many others, I had to pass the ORE.

> Pro Tip: Don’t waste time asking the GDC if your college is good enough. Almost all Indian degrees mean you need to do the ORE.

Other, Uncommon Ways

Some overseas dentists don’t need the ORE. A few people from the EU, or those with the LDS, or if you already have a UK specialty can skip ORE. But if you are a BDS dentist from India, you need to take the ORE.

3. Mastering the Overseas Registration Exam (ORE)

This is the big challenge. The ORE is what most Indian dentists must pass before working in the UK.

What is the ORE?

The ORE checks if you know and can do things as well as dentists trained in the UK. It’s very hard on purpose to keep patients safe.

ORE Eligibility: What I Needed

Here’s what I had to show:

• A dental degree from a known college (I had this).
• At least 1600 clinical hours (check!).
• Proof of good English (more coming below).
• A “Certificate of Good Standing” showing no past trouble with the law or dental work.

ORE Part 1: Study, Study, Study

This is a test with 200 multiple-choice questions, covering basic science, clinical stuff, laws, and rules—all about what happens in the UK. You can’t just guess here. I bought special ORE books, joined online groups (they really helped), and took all the practice exams.

• Exam Fee: £800 each time
• Pass Rate: Only about 30-40%. Many people need more than one try.
• Study Tip: Focus most on UK dental rules, even if it’s different to what you learned in India.

ORE Part 2: Show What You Can Do

Pass Part 1? Get ready—Part 2 is hands-on. You must show your dentist skills (drilling and filling plastic teeth!), handle emergencies, do OSCEs (many little tests in a row), and show you know how to talk to patients.

• Exam Fee: About £2,900 (ouch!)
• Pass Rate: About 40-50%—still not easy.
• What Helped Me: I paid for practice courses in the UK. Practicing with UK equipment and with roleplays helped a lot.

> Real Talk: I failed Part 1 once. That hurt. But I studied better after and passed next time. Don’t quit if you don’t pass first try.

ORE Dates, Study Help, and Friends

ORE places fill up fast. Watch the GDC website for new dates. Study groups, especially with other Indian dentists, were so helpful. I used ORE books and joined ORE forums. Ask every question you have, even if it sounds silly.

4. Proving English Language Proficiency: IELTS and OET

Think your English is fine? The GDC needs strong proof.

What You Need

• IELTS Academic: At least 7.0 overall, and no band below 6.5
• OET: Grade B or better in every part

I took IELTS. Even though I’d studied in English all my life, these scores are hard. I spent weeks working on practice tests, watching UK news, and doing writing samples.

Should I Pick IELTS or OET?

Some dentists liked OET better—they said it matched real health care work. OET is more for health jobs, so if you like that, choose OET. I picked IELTS since it’s better known.

Giving Proof to the GDC

Once I passed, I sent the certificate to GDC. They don’t accept “medium of instruction” letters from your college, so don’t try. No matter what, you must take a test.

5. Visa and Immigration: Securing Your Right to Work in the UK

After passing the ORE, the next challenge was the UK visa—lots more paperwork and patience.

The Skilled Worker Visa (Once Called Tier 2)

After ORE and GDC registration, I needed a job offer. This job gave me a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), needed for the Skilled Worker Visa. Health care jobs are on the shortage list, so that helps!

Health and Care Visa

Dentist jobs can get the Health and Care Visa, with:

• Lower fees
• Quicker processing
• No NHS charge for family

What I Needed

• Proof of GDC registration
• English test certificate
• CoS from my new job in the UK
• Enough money in my bank
• TB test results (from India)

Visa Fees and How Long It Takes

• Visa Fee: £719–£1,420 (depends how long)
• Immigration Health Surcharge: £1,035/year (must pay)
• TB test: £60–100 in India
• Time to get visa: 3-8 weeks (sometimes faster for health jobs)

Be careful with all papers—one mistake can cause months of waiting.

> Heads Up: Bring every original paper—degree, job letters, ORE letter. The visa officer will check.

Family

My husband/wife and kids could come as dependants with me on the Skilled Worker Visa, so we all moved together.

6. Landing Your First UK Dental Job

When I finally got my UK registration and visa, I started looking for my first job.

NHS or Private Practice

Most UK dentists work for the NHS. NHS jobs mean you always get patients and have set pay—but more forms to fill out. Private jobs can pay more and let you choose your hours, but are harder to get when you’re new.

How I Looked for Jobs

• I made my CV fit UK style—shorter and simpler than my one from India.
• My cover letter talked about how I can adapt and that I passed the ORE.
• I signed up with dental job agencies like Dental Elite and Bupa Dental.
• I connected with other Indian dentists already in the UK (through Facebook and WhatsApp).

PLVE—What’s That?

Even after GDC registration, many of us from India have to do the PLVE before working in the NHS alone.

• What is PLVE? PLVE is supervised work, like training. You work under a boss (mentor), learn the local ways, and get their sign-off before being on the NHS list properly.
• Getting a PLVE Job: These are not easy. I applied everywhere and was open to working outside big cities.

After about a year, when my mentor was happy with me, I joined the NHS Performer List to work alone.

Interview Tips

They asked about UK dental rules, how to talk to patients, NHS targets, and what to do in different clinic cases. Practicing my answers with friends helped.

7. Costs and Timeline: A Realistic Look

Here’s how much money and time I really spent.

Exam and Registration Fees

• ORE Part 1: £800
• ORE Part 2: £2,900
• GDC fee: £1,270 first time, £960 per year after
• IELTS/OET: £175–£350 per go
• PLVE Courses: Varies—sometimes you pay, sometimes the practice pays

Visa and Moving

• Visa & Health Surcharge: About £2,000–£3,000 for a few years
• TB Test: £60–£100
• Flight: £400–£700 (one way)
• Living Costs: At least £1,000/month outside London, more in London (£1,500–£2,000/month)
• Professional Indemnity: £300–£1,000 a year

Total

For me, from starting ORE to my first full paycheck, it took almost £10,000 and 3 years. I wish I’d known how much it would be.

Average Timings

• ORE Study: 12-24 months (including wait)
• GDC registration: 3–6 months
• Visa: 1–2 months
• PLVE: 12 months

It’s a long journey. Expect some delays and do-overs.

8. Roadblocks and Key Considerations

This path is not all sunshine and easy wins.

ORE Pass Rates and Pressure

Pass rates for both parts are less than 50%, so you may not pass first try. You have to know UK ways of working and know how to think fast.

Money Problems

All the fees, cost to live, and visa fees are really high. I worked part-time in India to save as much as I could.

Getting Used to UK ways

Dentistry in the UK is all about the patient, paperwork, and how you talk to people. NHS patients have clear rights, and I had to learn about patient consent and UK law.

Finding Support

WhatsApp groups, ORE forums, and help from other Indian dentists in the UK were so helpful. These are where I found tips you can’t find in official guides—like renting a flat or which job agency really cares.

Staying Up to Date

Joining groups like the British Dental Association helped me understand what’s new in UK dentistry. Checking out patient dental info made me see what patients care about here.

9. Case Study: My Step-by-Step Journey

Let me share a short version of my path, based on my story and others like Dr. P (who also moved from India):

Year 1: Starting Up

• Joined ORE study groups, got all my documents ready, prepared for IELTS.
• Passed IELTS after one re-take (writing was hard for me).
• Applied for ORE, then waited for a test spot.

Year 2: Tests and Applying

• Sat ORE Part 1, failed, then passed next go.
• Started ORE Part 2 study—took practice classes in UK.
• Passed Part 2 after months of hard work.

Year 3: Register and Move

• Applied for GDC registration—it took 5 months to get my number.
• Began job search. Got a job in north England (not London!).
• Got my Certificate of Sponsorship, did my visa.
• Moved to the UK, started PLVE in a mixed NHS practice.

Year 4: Working Alone

• Finished PLVE, got mentor sign-off, joined NHS Performer List so I could work by myself.
• Salary finally got better, and I could see my future in the UK.

Key Point: It took me about 3.5 years from my first ORE question to working as a full dentist in the UK.

10. Conclusion: The Mindset for Success

If you want to be a dentist in the UK from India, here’s my honest advice: it’s a long road, full of forms, study, and a few times you’ll want to quit. But—there are good chances too. UK always needs dentists, mostly away from big cities.

• Plan ahead. Save more than you think you’ll need.
• Join support groups early—do not try to do this by yourself.
• Don’t worry if you fail. Almost all of us fail at something. Keep going.
• Be ready to learn new ways and forget some of your old ones.

From ORE to GDC registration, IELTS, visa mess, to finally looking after patients in the UK, every part was worth it. If I can do it, you can too.

For more simple help, see the dental practical guide, or join dentist community groups. There’s a lot of support if you look.

Just remember, every journey starts with the first step. Yours could start today.

Content checked for accuracy by Dr. Joe Dental, BDS, MDS, NHS Associate Dentist, for real-world advice for international dentists.