Definition of Prior Clinical Experience

On the GDC website you will see the following advice about per-requirements for entering the ORE:

• The overseas dentist must have 1,600 hours clinical experience where they have personally treated patients in the dental chair.
• The number of hours of this clinical experience will either be hours spent by the overseas dentist undertaking appropriate investigations and administering dental treatment during their dental degree, during post-qualification experience, or a combination of the two.
• It could also be undertaken during temporary registration. It will not include time observing other dentists or assisting other dentists/dental students in undertaking diagnosis/treatment planning or provision of treatment.

Verification of the Prior Clinical Experience

1. The clinical experience will be verified.
2. The GDC will request signed references from university dental teams for the undergraduate experience and from employers for the post-qualification experience.
3. The employers must provide their registration number. The GDC will reserve the right to undertake spot checks to verify references where appropriate.
4. Affidavits will be accepted in only exceptional circumstances where an overseas dentist has proven refugee or asylum-seeker status.
5. It is important to be aware that if you arrive in the UK having less than the minimum 1,600 hours of clinical experience and being unable to sit the ORE, you may put yourself in a very difficult situation.
6. Although the GDC website states that you could obtain experience in a post offering temporary registration, you need to be aware that under current circumstances obtaining such a post will be extremely difficult. You should not rely on obtaining such a post in the UK in order to obtain sufficient experience to enter the ORE.
7. In addition, please check if you have any restrictions on your visa preventing you from applying for training posts. You will not be able to apply for training posts if your visa has restrictions such as-no employment as doctor or dentist in training – or similar wording.
8. If you know that you have not achieved the 1,600 hours of clinical experience required to enter the ORE, you would be advised to seriously consider obtaining a clinical post in the country where you qualified before coming to the UK.

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