An overview of LDS candidate eligibility is provided below. Read the LDS exam regulations and LDS Part 2 application guidance.

To be eligible to enter each part of the LDS exam all candidates must:

• If registered on a course of study at a UK undergraduate dental school, produce evidence that they have satisfactorily completed a five-year curriculum as described and recognised by the General Dental Council (GDC) and have passed the dental schools final exams, and are registered with the GDC.
• If in possession of a qualification awarded by an EEA university or licensing body that is recognised by the GDC for purposes of full registration in the UK, produce evidence of qualification, certificates of the courses of study attended and exams passed for such a qualification.
• If holding a qualification awarded by an overseas university or licensing body that is not recognised by the GDC for purposes of full registration in the UK, produce evidence of qualification and a NARIC certificate. In addition, it is necessary to provide certificates showing that the studies and courses undertaken were in line with the standards described in the First Five Years: a Framework for Undergraduate Dental Education 3rd edition (interim) (General Dental Council, 2008). A NARIC certificate is required unless temporary registration with the GDC is current and can be verified.
• Produce evidence of having had no fewer than 1600 hours clinical experience where you have personally treated patients in the dental chair. The number of hours of this clinical experience will either be hours spent undertaking appropriate investigations and administering dental treatment during the dental degree, during post-qualification experience, or a combination of the two and must have occurred during the period immediately prior to sitting Part 2 of the exam.
• Demonstrate linguistic competence by means of the Academic International English Language Testing System(IELTS) or the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Exemptions only apply to EEA nationals, those who have indefinite leave to remain in the UK or undertook their undergrad or postgrad dental degree in a UK institution. Original or certified copy of degree must be submitted to prove exemption.
• Produce a certificate or letter of good standing.

The Part 2 exam of the Licence in Dental Surgery (LDS) will be held over a two-day period and consists of two sections:

• objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) consisting of 12 stations, each of 7 minute duration;
• the ‘unseen case’ exam - (based on an objective structured long examination – OSLE model) which is designed to test candidates’ diagnosis treatment planning and clinical reasoning. Consisting of four cases, approximately 30 minutes each.