As a dental care professional (DCP) holding a DCP qualification from overseas, you can apply for assessment. If your assessment is successful you will be eligible for registration. You will need to complete an assessment application form and ensure you have all the additional documents we need.

You can request an assessment application form online via eGDC by selecting ‘Apply to register’. Please note, you will be asked to complete the route to registration questionnaire. Once you have submitted this, you will receive an email acknowledging receipt of your proforma. Please allow 10 working days for us to assess your details. The proforma is not an application form.

The information submitted will be reviewed and you will be notified by email of the appropriate application form and guidance you need to submit to apply to register with the GDC. The application pack contains further details about the information you are expected to provide with your application.


The GDC has a maximum of four months from receipt of a complete application to inform you of its decision. A complete application means an application that is ready to be assessed without any missing documentation. This includes Health and Character certificates, and a certificate of current professional status, plus an IELTS certificate (if applicable).

You must provide all required documentation as specified in the guidance notes. If your application does not meet our requirements or is incomplete we may reject your application. Alternatively, we may write to you informing you of the missing documentation/information you must provide to us.


Your application will be referred to our independent panel of dentally qualified assessors, the Registration Assessment Panel. The Registration Assessment Panel meets on a six - eight week basis and all applications are sent to the assessors three weeks in advance of a meeting.

Once the applications are sent to the assessors, the GDC will not be able to include any more applications for assessment until the next panel meeting. The role of the panel is to provide advice and recommendations regarding each applicants knowledge and skills to the Registrar – the panel is not a decision making body. Following the panel meeting the GDC executive will review the recommendations of the panel and make a decision whether or not to grant registration.

Following this you will be informed of our decision in writing normally within four - six weeks after the panel meeting.

No, it is illegal to practise dentistry in the UK without being registered with the GDC, unless under certain circumstances you are a doctor who is registered with the General Medical Council.

For further information please refer to Section 37 of the Dentists Act. Please note that the GDC cannot provide individuals with legal advice.

Temporary registration is only available for overseas qualified dentists.

There is a registration application fee for your first registration on the UK’s registers of dental professionals.

This fees cover the costs relating to applications and is made up of two parts;
a flat rate to cover processing costs, and a variable rate to cover the costs of assessing the type of application.

Registration application fees
Our registration application fees are for first registration (on the UK’s registers of dental professionals). These fees cover the costs relating to applications and are made up of two parts;

a flat rate to cover processing costs, and a variable rate to cover the costs of assessing the type of application.
Registration (requiring individual assessment) as a DCP with an overseas qualification :

Overseas qualification:

You hold a primary qualification in a profession complementary to dentistry, obtained outside the UK.

Processing fee : £36.33
Assessment fee : £512.76
Total fee : £549.09

Registration (requiring individual assessment) of additional DCP title(s) with an overseas qualification Overseas qualification:

You are on the DCP register (or you are in the process of applying for registration under another title - see FAQ below) and you are seeking to add a further DCP title based on a qualification obtained outside the UK.

Processing fee : £36.33
Assessment fee : £340
Total fee : £376.33
If you are applying for two titles at the same time, you only pay Processing fee once.

Please ensure any qualifications and professional titles you use are not misleading to patients in relation to your application status or GDC registration held. Please familiarise yourself with the GDC’s Guidance on Advertising.

There is a registration application fee for your first registration on the UK’s registers of dental professionals.

This fees cover the costs relating to applications and is made up of two parts; a flat rate to cover processing costs, and a variable rate to cover the costs of assessing the type of application.