LONDON: Hundreds of international dentists attempting to book a place for the UK's Overseas Registration Exam (ORE) were met with website crashes, payment errors and overloaded servers this week, leaving many unable to secure a seat and others uncertain whether their registrations were successful.
The problems emerged on June 30, 2026, when the UK's General Dental Council (GDC) released 600 places for ORE Part 1 through its MyGDC online portal at 2:30 pm.
For thousands of internationally trained dentists, passing both parts of the ORE is a mandatory requirement to register with the GDC and practise dentistry in the United Kingdom. The examination therefore represents one of the most important gateways into the British dental workforce.
Website crashes and payment failures
Several applicants reported being unable to log into the booking portal for extended periods. Others said they encountered blank screens, repeated error messages and payment pages that refreshed before transactions could be completed.
Some candidates reported an even more concerning issue: their examination fee was deducted from their bank accounts, but they received no confirmation email or booking acknowledgment, leaving them unsure whether they had successfully secured a seat.
Others said they completed the booking process correctly but still lost their place as available slots disappeared within minutes.
The technical failures triggered frustration among candidates, many of whom had spent months preparing academically and financially for the examination.
Difficulty contacting the regulator
Numerous applicants also reported difficulties reaching the GDC following the portal problems. Candidates who attempted to contact the regulator said phone lines were overwhelmed and communication channels proved difficult to access during the booking period.
Responding to the complaints, the GDC acknowledged the technical difficulties.
"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 said.
The GDC advised affected candidates to contact examinations@gdc-uk.org for assistance.
Why ORE seats are so difficult to obtain
The ORE has long been criticised for having far fewer seats than demand from internationally trained dentists seeking to work in the UK.
Booking an examination slot has frequently been compared to purchasing tickets for major entertainment events, with thousands of candidates simultaneously attempting to access the booking portal the moment new dates become available.
The situation has led many applicants to describe the process as stressful, unpredictable and heavily dependent on timing and internet connectivity rather than preparedness alone.
Dentist Mohammed Ghafoor described the system as fundamentally unfair.
"For many, that one-second difference between pressing the button before or after someone else decides the course of their entire professional life. This is not meritocracy. This is not fairness. This is chance masquerading as order. The ORE booking process has become a lottery." he said.
Plans to increase examination capacity
The latest disruption comes despite recent efforts by the GDC to increase examination capacity.
In March 2026, the regulator announced changes that could eventually allow substantially more international dentists to qualify each year through the ORE pathway.
According to the GDC, annual ORE Part 1 capacity is expected to increase from 1,800 to 2,400 places, while Part 2 capacity will initially rise from 720 to 944 places before eventually reaching 1,500 places annually.
The expansion follows a new contract with UCL Consultants, which the regulator said would enable examinations to be delivered on a larger and more planned scale rather than through year-to-year capacity adjustments.
However, the regulator emphasised that any increase in capacity must continue to safeguard patient safety and maintain examination quality.
Why this matters
The UK continues to face workforce pressures across parts of its healthcare system, including dentistry, where internationally qualified professionals play an important role in addressing workforce shortages and improving access to care.
For many overseas dentists, securing an ORE seat represents more than an examination booking. It can determine professional careers, migration plans and years of investment in education and preparation.
The latest booking difficulties are therefore likely to reignite broader questions about whether the current examination system can adequately meet demand while ensuring fairness, transparency and confidence among internationally trained dental professionals seeking to contribute to the UK's dental workforce.
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