ORE Priority Booking and Alternative Evidence for Refugee and Displaced Dental Professionals: The 2025 Policy Explained

1. Why These Policies Were Introduced: The Barriers Refugee Candidates Face

The standard ORE pathway presents barriers that are manageable for most overseas-qualified dentists but genuinely prohibitive for those who have fled conflict, persecution, or displacement. The GDC identified these barriers through direct stakeholder engagement with refugee dental professionals and the organisations supporting them.

The first category of barriers is documentation. Standard ORE applications require an original qualification certificate, a Certificate of Current Professional Status dated within three months, clinical reference forms signed by former employers, and identity documents including a valid passport. For a dentist who fled a conflict zone, obtaining any of these documents may be impossible. Their dental school may no longer exist or may be unable to issue certificates. The regulatory body in their country of origin may be inaccessible. Their passport may have been lost, or they may be unable to contact their home country's authorities without risking their safety. Former employers may be unreachable in a war zone.

The second category of barriers is the booking system. The general first-come-first-served booking mechanism disadvantages everyone, but its impact on refugee candidates is compounded by additional instability — uncertain internet access, unpredictable work schedules while taking whatever employment is available, the administrative burden of navigating an unfamiliar system in a second language, and the psychological weight of rebuilding a life and career simultaneously. A booking window that closes within minutes rewards candidates who are stable, well-resourced, and technically prepared for the booking rush. Many refugee candidates are not in that position.

The GDC also noted a third factor unique to some refugee candidates: fear of contacting home-country authorities. Requesting a qualification certificate or professional standing letter from a government institution in a country where a candidate faces persecution can expose their whereabouts and place them or their family at risk. The alternative evidence policy explicitly recognises this concern.

2. The Priority Booking Policy: How It Works

The priority booking policy, introduced in January 2025 and operational from the April 2025 ORE sittings onwards, gives refugee-status candidates access to a dedicated booking window that opens two weeks before the general booking window. This two-week head start means eligible candidates can secure a seat before the general rush — eliminating the first-come-first-served competition that would otherwise put them at a disadvantage.

The priority booking window is available for up to two Part 1 attempts and two Part 2 attempts per candidate. All four of these priority attempts count within the normal four-attempt maximum for each part — they are not additional attempts. Once a candidate has used their two priority attempts for a given part, subsequent attempts must be booked through the standard general window if available. The timing of the priority window relative to the general window — two weeks earlier — may differ slightly between sittings; candidates should watch for the specific announcement for each sitting through GDC candidate emails and the ORE latest information page.

The priority booking process does not operate through the standard eGDC self-service booking flow. Eligible candidates receive specific instructions from the GDC about how to confirm their priority intention before each sitting. For the April 2026 Part 2 sitting, for example, eligible candidates with refugee status were required to confirm their intention to book a priority place by 17:00 on a specific date approximately two weeks before general booking opened. Missing this confirmation window may result in losing the priority access for that sitting. Candidates should act promptly on all GDC communications about priority bookings.

3. Demonstrating Refugee Status: What Documents the GDC Accepts

To access priority booking, candidates must provide evidence of their refugee or protected status as recognised by the Home Office. The GDC will verify the documentation before granting priority access. The GDC's refugee professionals page lists the following as acceptable forms of status evidence for the priority booking process.

The primary accepted document is a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) accompanied by a letter from the Home Office and a share code. The GDC requires a photograph of both the front and back of the BRP alongside these supporting items. Other forms of Home Office-issued evidence of protected status may also be accepted — candidates whose documentation takes a different form should contact the GDC examinations team to discuss whether their specific documentation qualifies.

Candidates who have not yet had their refugee status formally recognised by the Home Office but who are displaced due to political situations or circumstances beyond their control may still be considered on a case-by-case basis. The GDC has indicated that displaced professionals in this situation should contact it directly to discuss their circumstances before the booking window opens for a sitting they wish to attend. The earlier this contact happens, the more time the GDC has to verify status and organise priority access.

4. The Alternative Evidence Policy: Documentation for the ORE Application

The November 2025 alternative evidence policy addresses a separate but related problem: candidates who have refugee or displaced status but cannot obtain the standard documentation required for the ORE application itself — qualification certificates, professional standing letters, identity documents, and clinical reference forms. The priority booking policy gets them into a sitting; the alternative evidence policy gets them through the application process that must precede any booking.

Under this policy, the GDC will work with candidates who have protected status in the UK or who can demonstrate that obtaining standard documentation is not possible due to circumstances beyond their control. The assessment is case by case — there is no automatic documentary substitution; instead, the GDC evaluates what the candidate can provide and determines whether it is sufficient to verify their identity, qualifications, and professional standing.

The GDC has published examples of forms of alternative evidence it may accept. These are illustrative rather than exhaustive, and the specific evidence accepted for any candidate will depend on their individual circumstances. The examples given are: a UK Government-issued e-visa or refugee status document (for identity verification); an affidavit or character declaration from the candidate's employer or a GDC registrant (for professional standing or character references); and a letter from the candidate's educational institution confirming that they completed the relevant dental training and education (in lieu of an original qualification certificate or degree document). For candidates who cannot obtain a Certificate of Good Standing, an affidavit or affirmation witnessed by a solicitor or legal professional — confirming the candidate is of good professional standing — may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.

5. The Registration Pathway: What Remains the Same for Refugee Candidates

Both the priority booking policy and the alternative evidence policy are access measures — they reduce barriers to sitting the ORE and to submitting an application. They do not alter the examination itself, the registration standards, or the eligibility requirements in any other respect.

Refugee candidates must still pass both ORE Part 1 and Part 2 to the same standards as all other candidates. They must still demonstrate 1,600 hours of clinical experience treating patients — the alternative evidence policy provides mechanisms to document those hours differently, not to waive the requirement itself. They must still demonstrate English language proficiency through IELTS Academic (7.0 overall, no band below 6.5), OET Dentistry (Grade B), or qualifying exemptions. They are subject to the same five-year rule and four-attempt limits as every other ORE candidate.

The GDC's refugee professionals page also makes an important point about routes: the legislation governing registration does not provide for separate or faster routes for refugees. A refugee dentist completing the ORE joins the GDC register on exactly the same basis as any other dentist who has completed the ORE. The priority and alternative evidence policies address the journey to that point — they do not create a different end destination or a shortcut through the examination itself.

6. Support Organisations for Refugee Dental Professionals

Beyond the GDC's own policies, several organisations provide support to refugee dental professionals navigating the registration process in the UK. The GDC's refugee professionals page lists the following.

The Refugee Assessment and Guidance Unit (RAGU) provides specialist careers advice, guidance, and employability training for all refugee health professionals, including dentists. The British Dental Association (BDA) offers free membership to refugee dentists and dentists seeking asylum until their registration process is completed. The Council for Assisting Refugee Academics (CARA) provides information, advice, and practical help to refugee academics — including healthcare professionals — to assist in rebuilding their careers. Bridges Programmes supports the social, educational, and economic integration of refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants, including in Glasgow. The BDA Benevolent Fund offers financial and wellbeing assistance to asylum seeker and refugee dentists.

These organisations can provide practical support that the GDC's administrative policies cannot directly address: financial assistance with exam fees, career guidance, help navigating the bureaucracy of a new country, and peer support from professionals who have been through the same process. The BDA's free membership offer in particular provides access to professional networks, legal guidance, and welfare support that can be significant for candidates who are building their professional lives in the UK from the beginning.

7. How These Policies Fit Into the Broader ORE Reform Context

The refugee priority booking and alternative evidence policies are two of several significant changes the GDC made to the ORE system in 2025. They are targeted measures addressing specific equity concerns, and they sit alongside the broader capacity expansion represented by the UCLC contract transition from September 2026.

The policies have been positively received by the organisations supporting refugee dental professionals. The BDA noted the importance of these measures in the context of a dental workforce facing significant shortages — the Association of Dental Groups (ADG) reported in June 2025 that 4.5 million patients were going untreated annually due to a shortfall of approximately 2,750 dentists, while fully qualified overseas dentists were working in unrelated roles because they could not access the ORE. The refugee policies represent one component of the GDC's response to this broader access and workforce problem.

The GDC has also stated that it is developing “additional international registration pathways that ensure both fair access for overseas-qualified dental professionals and maintenance of high standards”, alongside the UCLC contract. The details of these additional pathways have not been published as of April 2026. Candidates who believe they may qualify for refugee status policies, or who are in displacement situations that might benefit from case-by-case consideration, should contact the GDC directly and monitor the refugee professionals page for any further policy developments.

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References

• General Dental Council — Refugee and displaced dental professionals | Official GDC hub page: priority booking eligibility categories, BRP + Home Office letter requirement, up to 2 attempts per part at priority access, support organisations listed, alternative evidence case-by-case basis confirmed.
• General Dental Council — GDC introduces priority booking for dental professionals with refugee status (22 January 2025) | Founding announcement: priority window 2 weeks before general; up to 2 attempts per part; April 2025 as first sitting; Home Office recognised status required; same exam standards confirmed.
• General Dental Council — GDC announces new alternative evidence policy to support refugee and displaced dental professionals (13 November 2025) | November 2025 policy announcement: 167 priority places across 6 sittings; 44 in January 2026 Part 1; examples of alternative evidence (e-visa, affidavit, education institution letter); scope covers dentists and DCPs; covers Afghan and Ukrainian schemes.
• General Dental Council — Certificate of Good Standing page | Confirms refugee CCPS alternative: affidavit witnessed by solicitor accepted if standard CCPS unobtainable; case-by-case basis; must be sworn under oath that standard document cannot be obtained.
• British Dental Journal — GDC introduces priority booking for dental professionals with refugee status | Peer-reviewed BDJ report of January 2025 priority booking announcement; eligible categories confirmed (UN Convention, humanitarian protection, Afghan/Ukrainian schemes); same standards statement confirmed.
• Dentistry.co.uk — Refugee dentists given easier access to UK registration (13 November 2025) | Trade press reporting of November 2025 alternative evidence policy; 93% of places still accessible to general candidates at January 2026 sitting; GDC Executive Director Stefan Czerniawski quoted on inclusivity commitment.