New Dental School Places Will Produce More Homegrown Dentists to Serve Rural and Coastal Areas in England

The government is stepping up efforts to tackle the country’s dental care backlog, announcing a major expansion of both home-grown and overseas-trained dentists.

This move is expected to ease patient access and reduce the long waits for dental appointments across the UK.

Overseas Dentists Finally Get a Chance

For years, thousands of qualified dentists from abroad have been unable to practise in the UK because of limited exam availability.

That bottleneck is set to be drastically reduced. By 2028, up to 1,350 overseas-trained dentists could join the General Dental Council (GDC) register each year.

The expansion will be driven by increased capacity in two key professional registration exams.

The Licence in Dental Surgery (LDS), run by the Royal College of Surgeons of England, will see places jump from 180 to 1,800 by 2028.

Meanwhile, the GDC’s Overseas Registration Exam (ORE) will also expand, enabling more than 1,000 overseas-trained dentists to be registered annually by 2028/29.

Dr Charlotte Eckhardt, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said the move “will support more candidates, strengthen the dental workforce, and help improve public access to dentistry.”

Boosting Domestic Training

Alongside overseas recruitment, the government is increasing training for UK-based dentists.

From 2027, 50 additional dental students will be admitted each year, prioritising underserved “dental deserts” such as rural and coastal areas where appointment access has been particularly difficult.

Dr Katie Petty-Saphon, Chief Executive of the Dental Schools Council, welcomed the expansion, noting that many talented applicants are turned away each year.

“This increase will allow more future NHS dentists to be trained while addressing geographical gaps in care,” she said.

Government Support and Funding

Health Minister Stephen Kinnock emphasised that “no-one in the 21st century should be left in a situation where they cannot access a dentist.”

The government has backed the initiative with funding, including a one-off £420,000 grant to expand LDS exam capacity.

Tom Whiting, Chief Executive and Registrar at the GDC, added: “More ORE places, along with additional dental students and LDS capacity, is great news for the dental workforce and, in turn, patients.”

Voices from the Profession

Neil Carmichael, Executive Chair of the Association of Dental Groups, called the announcement “excellent news” for both patients and the profession, pointing out that over 5,000 overseas-trained dentists are currently waiting to practise in the UK.

Overseas dentist Eni Muco shared the personal impact: “After seven failed attempts to book Part 1 of the ORE, I still can’t sit the exam.

Expanding exam capacity would let dentists like me contribute and support the NHS.”

Impact and Consequences

The expanded exam and training capacities will:

• Increase the number of practising dentists in both urban and rural areas.
• Reduce waiting times for NHS dental appointments.
• Improve access to preventive and routine dental care, particularly in underserved regions.
• Strengthen the overall resilience of the dental workforce for future demand.

What’s Next?

The government plans to continue reforming the dental contract to ensure resources go where they are most needed, incentivising dentists to serve underserved areas.

The first increased home-grown dental school intakes are expected from 2027, while overseas-trained dentists will see significantly improved registration prospects by 2028/29.

Summary

This initiative represents the first sustained expansion of dental school places in nearly 20 years and a major increase in opportunities for overseas-trained dentists.

Together, these measures are designed to tackle workforce shortages, improve patient access, and lay the groundwork for long-term NHS dental reform.

Bulleted Takeaways

• Up to 1,350 overseas-trained dentists expected to join the GDC annually by 2028.
• LDS exam capacity increased tenfold from 180 to 1,800 places.
• GDC’s ORE to expand, registering over 1,000 overseas-trained dentists annually.
• 50 additional UK dental students to be trained yearly from 2027, prioritising dental deserts.
• Government investment demonstrates long-term commitment to improving NHS dental access.