UK Expands Dental Training Scale for First Time in Nearly 20 Years, Overseas Dentist Quotas May Increase to 2,400 Annually

Image Source: GOV.UK

DentalGoodNews｜March 10, 2026 - The UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced a significant expansion in the number of places available for registration exams for overseas-trained dentists, alongside the first increase in domestic dental training places in nearly two decades.

This expansion covers two registration pathways. The first is the Licence in Dental Surgery (LDS) exam administered by the Royal College of Surgeons of England: the government is providing a one-off funding of £420,000 to increase the number of final-stage LDS exam places from 180 to 1,800—a tenfold increase. It is estimated that by 2028, this will allow up to 1,350 overseas-trained dentists per year to join the General Dental Council (GDC) register and provide dental services (including NHS treatment). The second pathway is the Overseas Registration Exam (ORE) clinical exam managed by the GDC, where places will be increased to approximately 1,500. This is expected to result in over 1,000 additional dentists registering annually from 2028/29 onwards. Combined, these two pathways are projected to enable the registration of up to approximately 2,400 overseas-trained dentists per year by 2028/29.

According to previous reports by DGN, NHS dental services in the UK have been under long-term pressure. Over the past two years, dentists have returned over £900 million in total due to failing to meet their contracted service volumes. Neil Carmichael, Executive Chair of the Association of Dental Groups (ADG), pointed out that currently more than 5,000 overseas-trained dentists are queuing for exam places, while there are 2,700 vacant dentist positions in the UK.

Health Secretary Stephen Kinnock stated: "No one in the 21st century should face a situation where they cannot access dental care. Training more dentists and allowing more overseas-qualified dentists to practice will get more patients into the chair and receive the treatment they need."

In addition to expanding overseas registration channels, from 2027, England will add 50 new dental training places annually. These will be prioritized for rural and coastal areas that have long lacked access to NHS dental appointments—regions the government refers to as "dental deserts." This marks the first sustained increase in domestic dental training capacity in England in nearly 20 years.

Tom Whiting, Chief Executive of the GDC, stated that the new arrangements will provide candidates with greater scale and certainty. The DHSC stated that these measures are part of the government's broader strategy to fundamentally reform the NHS dental contract before the end of this Parliament.

[SOURCE] Original Document → UK Department of Health and Social Care: More dentists coming as government boosts number who can practise (English)

[SOURCE] UK Department of Health and Social Care: More dentists coming as government boosts number who can practise (English), March 10, 2026

[SOURCE] UK NHS Dental Services Under Pressure: Over 40% of Dentists Fail to Meet Contract Volumes, Nearly £1 Billion Returned in Two Years, DGN, March 09, 2026