Mohammed Ghafoor explains why the overseas registration exam (ORE) currently tests luck, not competence – and why this needs to change.
For overseas-qualified dentists, the ORE is not just another professional test. It is the gateway to practising dentistry in the United Kingdom, the decisive moment that determines whether years of training and investment can be translated into a career serving patients in the UK.
The ORE was introduced with a clear and necessary purpose: to ensure that dentists who qualified outside of the UK demonstrate the same knowledge, clinical ability, and professional conduct as their UK-trained counterparts. This is an important safeguard for patient safety and for maintaining the reputation of UK dentistry as a global standard-bearer.
But while no one disputes the need for robust assessment, the way this examination is organised and booked has descended into chaos. What was designed to be a fair test of competence has been reduced to a cruel lottery – a broken system that puts careers on hold, drains finances, and places unbearable strain on candidates and their families.
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