ORE Part 1 explained
Last updated 9 September 2026
The short version. ORE Part 1 is two computer-based papers, three hours each, sat on the same day. Paper A covers dental science and human disease; Paper B covers clinical dentistry, law and ethics, and health and safety. Both use single best answer and extended matching questions. You must pass both. The fee is £485 and you get four attempts.
What the ORE is for
The Overseas Registration Exam is the route by which a dentist holding a qualification from outside the UK, EU or a small number of recognised jurisdictions demonstrates to the General Dental Council that their knowledge and skill meet the UK standard. Passing both parts is what allows an application for full registration.
Part 1 is the written stage. It is a test of knowledge, and it is entirely computer-based — there is no clinical component until Part 2.
The two papers
Part 1 consists of two papers, each lasting three hours.
- Paper A — dental science and human disease. The GDC lists the content as anatomy, bacteriology, biochemistry, dental anatomy and embryology, dental materials, immunology, pathology and human disease, pharmacology, physiology and statistics.
- Paper B — aspects of clinical dentistry, including law and ethics and health and safety.
Both papers use multiple short answer questions — specifically extended matching questions (EMQs) and single best answer questions (SBAs). There is no essay writing and no viva at this stage.
How it is marked
You receive a percentage mark out of 100 for each paper, plus an overall pass or fail. Both papers must be passed before you can move on to Part 2 — a strong mark in one does not compensate for a fail in the other.
Marks are calculated as soon as you submit, and there is no facility to query them afterwards. Results are normally released within 30 working days.
Attempts and cost
- Fee: £485 for Part 1.
- Attempts: four attempts are allowed at Part 1.
Four attempts sounds generous until you consider the cost and the wait between sittings. Most candidates who struggle do so not because the material is beyond them but because they sat before they were ready. Treating the first attempt as a practice run is an expensive habit.
What comes after
Passing Part 1 lets you attempt Part 2, which is the practical and clinical stage. Part 1 must be passed first; the two cannot be taken in the other order.
How people usually prepare
Part 1 rewards breadth. The syllabus spans basic sciences you may not have touched since your undergraduate years alongside UK-specific material — particularly law, ethics and health and safety — that may be entirely new regardless of how experienced a clinician you are.
Question practice is the most common preparation method, because the format is recognition-based and the volume is large. Reading alone tends to produce a comfortable feeling of familiarity that does not survive contact with a well-written distractor.
We have written more on this in how to prepare for ORE Part 1, and on the split between the two papers in what is in Paper A and Paper B.
Practise with OREeasy. 4,073 original ORE-style questions across all twelve subject areas, with written explanations and timed mock papers. Three questions in every subject are free, no card required.
Check before you book
Fees, attempt limits and sitting dates are set by the General Dental Council and change from time to time. The figures on this page were taken from the GDC's own ORE Part 1 page and were correct when this page was last updated, but the GDC is the only authority on them. Confirm current details directly with the GDC before booking or paying anything.