Dentistry students in Ukraine and Georgia and graduates from Poland ask us about working as a dentist in the UK. To treat patients there, you need to be on the register of the General Dental Council (GDC). With a degree from Poland the route is almost automatic, and with a degree from Ukraine or Georgia it goes through an exam. We describe both.
Key points at a glance
- With a degree from Ukraine or Georgia you take the Overseas Registration Exam (ORE) or the LDS exam before you register with the GDC.
- A Polish dental degree is an EEA qualification, recognised under a near-automatic system if it is listed in Annex V of Directive 2005/36/EC.
- After a review in 2023 these rules were extended for 5 years, and the GDC says it does not know what will apply afterwards.
- The ORE costs £115 for the application, £485 for Part 1 and £6,967 for Part 2.
- Everyone proves their English, most often with IELTS Academic: at least 7 overall and 6.5 in each part.
Who decides
Dentists are registered by the General Dental Council (GDC). Most people whose primary dental qualification was gained outside the UK and the European Economic Area (EEA) take the Overseas Registration Exam (ORE) before registering. The exception is degrees on a short list of recognised overseas qualifications, which does not include Ukraine or Georgia.
A degree from Ukraine or Georgia step by step
- English Before the GDC lets you sit the ORE, you must prove your English, usually with an IELTS Academic result of at least 7 overall and 6.5 in each part, no older than 2 years.
- ORE application You apply to the GDC to sit the exam. The application processing fee is £115.
- ORE Part 1 It tests how you apply your knowledge in clinical practice and costs £485. Practice questions for ORE Part 1 are available on Medmigrant, our learning platform.
- ORE Part 2 It tests your practical clinical skills and costs £6,967. You must pass it within 5 years of your first attempt at Part 1, and you have up to 4 attempts at each part.
- Registration Once you have passed the ORE, you apply for registration with the GDC and pay £102.83 for the application. The registration fee itself depends on the date you join the register, and the GDC aims to assess a complete application within 3 months.
| ORE application | 115 |
| ORE Part 1 | 485 |
| ORE Part 2 | 6967 |
Another route: the LDS exam
Instead of the ORE, you can pass the Licence in Dental Surgery (LDS) of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. The exam has 3 parts: you take the first one remotely and the other two in the UK. Before Part 2 you need at least 1,600 hours of clinical experience, and all parts must be passed within 5 years. A passed LDS entitles you to full registration with the GDC.
- 4 attempts at each part of the ORE
- 5 years to pass Part 2 after your first attempt at Part 1
- 3 parts in the LDS exam, the second route to registration
- 3 months in which the GDC aims to assess a complete application
A degree from Poland
A Polish dental degree is an EEA qualification. The GDC recognises such qualifications under a near-automatic system if they are listed in Annex V of Directive 2005/36/EC. If your qualification is not listed there, you take the route for degrees from outside the EEA, that is the ORE or the LDS.
After a review in 2023 these rules were extended for 5 years, and the GDC says it does not know what arrangements will apply after that. The right to this route does not depend on your nationality or where you live, so a Ukrainian citizen with a Polish degree has it too. This is one of the reasons why some students start dentistry in Ukraine or Georgia and then transfer to studies in Poland.
English
People with an EU degree also prove their English. Most often this is an IELTS Academic result of at least 7 overall and 6.5 in each part. The GDC also routinely accepts other evidence, for example a recent dental degree from a programme taught and examined entirely in English, or recent, continuous practice in a country where English is the first language.
Frequently asked questions
Does the GDC recognise a dental degree from Ukraine or Georgia?
Yes, after you pass the ORE or the LDS. Then you apply for registration with the GDC and can work as a dentist in the UK.
Does passing the exam mean a job straight away?
Not automatically. The Royal College of Surgeons of England points out that passing the exam does not guarantee a job in UK dentistry, so you apply for posts like any other dentist. That is why we plan the exams and documents with you well in advance.
How can Edumetric help?
We help you choose a university with dentistry taught in English, plan your preparation for the ORE and, if you wish, a transfer to studies in Poland. Book a free consultation.
Read also: Studying dentistry in Ukraine in English: tuition, exams and registration in the UK and Studying medicine in Georgia: admission, costs and recognition in the UK. We write about working in the UK in other professions in Working as a doctor in the UK with a degree from Ukraine, Georgia or Poland and Working as a nurse in the UK with a degree from Ukraine or Poland. You will find all universities in the university directory.
Official sources
Official pages in English, checked in November 2026:
- How to apply: overseas-qualified dentist (GDC)
- Recognised overseas qualifications (GDC)
- Dentists with EEA qualifications (GDC)
- About the ORE (GDC)
- Necessary knowledge of English language for dental professionals (GDC)
- The overseas registration and LDS exams (Royal College of Surgeons of England)
- Licence in Dental Surgery: Examination Regulations 2026 (Royal College of Surgeons of England) (PDF)
Have questions about studying abroad?
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