EEA & Overseas Guidance

Guidelines for British citizens with an EEA or Non-UK, Non-EEA, Overseas dental degree

EEA Graduates
Non-UK, EEA graduates and British citizens with a dental degree from an EEA country are not legally required to undertake dental foundation training year one (DF1/VT) but are eligible to do so. They are able to apply directly to a PCT to obtain an NHS PCT Performers list number.

EEA graduates applying to work in the NHS, whether they are a British citizen or not, may be asked by a Primary Care Trust (PCT) or Local Health Board (LHB) to undertake an NHS induction course if they have not completed DF1 (VT) training. Such courses are run by some, but not all, postgraduate deaneries. This is not a legal requirement.

British citizens with an EEA dental degree who have not been able to obtain a DF1 (VT) training place may be encouraged by a PCT/LHB to undertake competency assessment  for Inclusion on the Dental Performers List England http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/335/made. However this is not a legal requirement.

All EEA graduates must register with the General Dental Council (GDC) if they wish to apply for foundation training. Those graduating in July have very little time to complete GDC registration, PCT/LHB and Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks prior to the start of the foundation training year during the first week of August.

It is unlikely that EEA Dental Schools will prepare British citizens about the processes that must be completed before they can work in the UK. Therefore it is important that EEA graduates planning to apply for foundation training in the UK contact the GDC well in advance of graduation in order to familiarise themselves with the registration process.

Graduates of Overseas Dental Schools
British citizens who are graduates of an overseas dental school must obtain full registration with the GDC and pass the Overseas Registration Exam (ORE) set by the GDC or the LDSRCS Examination set by the Faculty of Dental Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons, England before being eligible to work in the UK.

British citizens with a non-UK, non EEA dental degree must have full registration with the GDC and are advised to undertake Performers List Validation by Experience if they wish to obtain an NHS Performers List number.

Performers List Validation by Experience is a process designed to allow a non-UK, non-EEA, overseas dental graduate to demonstrate knowledge and experience that is equivalent to DF1 (VT) training (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/335/made Dental Performers List England).

UK postgraduate medical and dental deaneries manage the competency assessment process and provide advice to PCTs or LHBs on individuals undertaking competency assessment.

PCTs/LHBs are looking for safe, caring and competent dental practitioners. Applicants to performer lists are advised to prepare themselves in the best way possible.

April 2017

Competency Assessment Framework

A piece of work was commissioned by COPDEND by the Cardiff Unit for Research and Evaluation in Medical and Dental Education (CUREMeDE) surrounding Competency Assessment for Performers List Entry for those without a Vocational Training Certificate or Exemption.

Please click the following link which will take you to the final report.

A practical resource to help in the support of non-UK, EEA qualified dental practitioners practising in the UK

This resource has been developed to provide background information and an overview of the education of dentists in EEA states and of their oral healthcare systems.

It is important to remember that each dentist is an individual and any support should be tailored accordingly.

This resource should not be used as legal guidance and all relevant UK and European Union legislation continues to apply.

This first edition gives information on the 19 member states with more than 50 dentists registered with the GDC in December 2009 plus Malta, nearly 20% of whose dentists are registered with the GDC. These dentists represent 97% of all current EEA registrants. Please click here to access this documentation.

National Advice Centre for Postgraduate Dental Education (NACPDE)

In February 2008 a new immigration system was introduced in the UK. The National Advice Centre for Postgraduate Dental Education (NACPDE) at the Royal College of Surgeons of England provides information for qualified dentists about working in the UK, general or specialist training, or studying for a postgraduate degree or diploma in the UK. https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/dental-faculties/fds/nacpde/

Working in the UK

To find further information regarding Working in the UK & Immigration Rules, please see the following links http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/

http://www.bda.org/dentists/advice/career/working%2Din%2Dth%2Duk/