Candidates hoping to secure a place for Part 2 of the Overseas Registration Exam (ORE) were told by the General Dental Council (GDC) that bookings would be delayed by a further week.
The booking window will now take place on Tuesday 21 July.
The GDC confirmed that the delay was linked with technical issues which left applicants unsure if they had secured a seat in June, despite payment having already been taken in many cases.
The regulator said ‘further testing’ of the booking site was required to ensure that candidates could ‘book their exam place with confidence’.
With the exam still scheduled for eight weeks from the original booking date, successful candidates will have one week less than usual to prepare.
A spokesperson for the GDC commented: ‘We understand any change to timing can be unsettling for candidates, and we apologise for any inconvenience this causes.’
What caused the ORE booking to be postponed?
The ORE Part 1 booking on the 30 June was the first to utilise the MyGDC portal. However, Dentistry heard reports of loading errors, glitches and payment failures.
The GDC said: ‘We apologise for the uncertainty and inconvenience this has caused. We understand how much preparation goes into this exam, and candidates deserve confidence that their booking and payment have gone through correctly.’
The regulator has since ‘resolved the majority of issues’ experienced by candidates, working through bookings and payments individually to ensure records are accurate.
It said: ‘We’re confident this gives candidates the certainty they need ahead of the next booking window on 14 July.’
In the aftermath of the crash, the GDC announced it would be launching a new portal for exams taking place from 2027.
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