Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery Part 1
Exam overview
MFDS Part 1 is the first of the two-part Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (MFDS) exam, evaluating your knowledge and skills as a trainee dental surgeon.
Passing the MFDS makes you eligible for membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS), a community committed to improving the profession and supporting high standards of practice and patient care. It is an essential step before taking the Dental Specialty Fellowship Examinations and progressing to specialty practice.
The last sitting of the legacy MFDS Part 1 exam is in October 2026.
Apply for the new MFDS Part 1
Applications for the new MFDS Part 1 exam are open on the MFDS booking platform.
- Find a link to the portal on the Dental Examinations Executive information page.
- Read guidance on how to use the portal
- £535.00
Eligibility
Education and training requirements
To be eligible for the legacy or the new MFDS exam, you must:
- hold a primary dental qualification;
- be registered to practice dentistry in your country of residence;
- have a standard of English equivalent to IELTS7 as the exam is conducted in English.
New MFDS exam
To take the new MFDS exam, you must also have enough clinical experience to demonstrate you can meet the learning outcomes in the COPDEND dental core training curricula.
You have four attempts to pass the new MFDS Part 1.
Read the full eligibility criteria for the new format
Legacy MFDS exam
You have six attempts to pass the legacy MFDS Part 1 exam.
Overseas candidates must have a primary dental qualification from a school on the World Directory of Medical Schools register, including the date it was awarded.
If you hold a qualification awarded by an overseas university or licensing body that is not recognised by the GDC, please provide:
- evidence of this qualification and an ENIC (formerly NARIC) certificate;
- a Statement of Comparability to prove that the studies and courses involved in this qualification 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).
It can take 15 days to receive an ENIC certificate. You need to have this before you apply.
Format of exam
MFDS Part 1 is a written paper made up of single best answer (SBA) questions that relate to clinical decision making and professional practice. The exam is conducted in English.
New MFDS format:
The new MFDS exam developed by the Dental Examinations Executive is delivered in assessment centres across the UK. There are two papers with 90 SBA questions each (180 questions in total), each lasting two hours.
Final sitting of the legacy MFDS exam:
The legacy MFDS Part 1 exam is one three-hour paper with 150 SBA questions. This exam is delivered online and can be taken anywhere you have a quiet, private space.
You will need:
- a computer with a webcam and a microphone;
- reliable internet connection.
Our moderators will monitor you remotely during the exam. Learn about what to expect when taking a dental exam online.
Syllabus, registration process and results
Syllabus
Registration process
New MFDS format:
Book your exam through the new MFDS exam booking portal. Find a link to the portal on the Dental Examinations Executive information page.
Read guidance on how to use the portal
You will be asked to submit your eligibility documentation as part of your application.
Final sitting of the legacy MFDS Part 1 exam:
The last sitting of the legacy MFDS Part 1 exam is in October 2026. Registration is open until 5pm on 20 August 2026, or until spaces are full.
If you are applying for the first time, you will be asked for the following information when you book:
- GDC number
- Scanned copy of your primary dental qualification
- Proof of your registration to practise dentistry
- Evidence to support a reasonable adjustment request (if applicable)
Please email your eligibility documents to dentaleligibility@rcseng.ac.uk within ten days of payment. Please make sure you have these ready before you apply.
Please send any evidence to support a reasonable adjustments request to ra_exams@rcseng.ac.uk.
The name you use when you book must exactly match the name on the government‑issued photo ID you present on the exam day.
Name change
If the name on your application is different from your other documents, you must provide evidence of your name change, such as a marriage certificate.
Applying for reasonable adjustments
Tailored exam and assessment arrangements will be provided through reasonable adjustments if you have additional needs due to:
- learning differences (such as dyslexia), or
- permanent or temporary disabilities.
These arrangements ensure you can perform to the best of your ability and are not discriminated against.
You’ll need to provide medical evidence to support any requests for reasonable adjustments. This can be a letter or report from a relevant healthcare or education professional, such as:
- A letter, report or medical summary from GP/doctor
- A consultant or specialist assessor report (e.g. psychiatrist, educational psychologist, psychologist)
- Medication history or treatment plan
- A letter or report from an occupational therapist/physiotherapist
- A letter or report from a speech and language therapist
- A letter or report from an audiologist
- A letter or report from an ophthalmologist
Requesting a reasonable adjustment for the new MFDS exam
When you apply for an exam through the new MFDS booking portal, the application form asks if you require reasonable adjustments. If you do, you will be asked some further questions about your additional needs and the adjustments or access arrangements you are requesting.
You will be asked to supply supporting evidence at the point of applying for your exam.
Read the full reasonable adjustments policy on the Dental Examinations Executive website
Requesting a reasonable adjustment for the legacy MFDS exam
To request a reasonable adjustment for your exam please select the reasonable adjustment option under the ‘preferred location’ section of the online application form from this page.
Please send copies of your supporting medical evidence to ra_exams@rcseng.ac.uk
If you have already been granted the specific reasonable adjustment you are applying for (for example, in a previous MFDS sitting), you do not need to provide your report again and your adjustment will be automatically added to your upcoming exam.
Please note that we can only provide adjustments specifically mentioned in your report.
Withdrawal and refund policy: legacy MFDS exam only
If you wish to withdraw from the exam, you may or may not be entitled to a full or partial refund according to the guidelines outlined in our refund policy.
Please familiarise yourself with this policy before applying for an exam seat to ensure a smooth and easy withdrawal process.
Next steps after booking
You will receive an email four weeks before your exam date with your exam confirmation letter. You will need to bring a copy of this letter to your exam.
This email also includes details of your assessment centre venue, accessibility information and a list of items that you can bring into the exam.
New MFDS exam:
Two weeks before the exam, you will receive a check-in email to make sure your preparation is going well and that you have all the information you need. You will receive another check-in email two days before the exam.
If you have requested access arrangements or reasonable adjustments, the Dental Examinations Executive will send further communications regarding them.
Legacy MFDS exam:
You will receive an email at least four weeks before your exam date with details of your exam time.
A week before your exam, you will receive another email with a link to a step-by-step guide for carrying out a system check on your device.
Make sure you set up your device 30 minutes before your exam starts.
Read our guidance for equipment requirements and preparing to take your exam online.
Results
New MFDS exam:
Results will be published on the risr/advance booking platform and you will be able to access these using the login details you used to apply for the exam. Read guidance on how to use the portal
Legacy MFDS exam:
We will email you your results and feedback four weeks after the final exam date.
Booking options
UK and Ireland Exams
UK and Ireland
Apply before: 20 Aug 2026
20
Oct
2026
£535.00
Pricing notes:
Full price: £535.00BTL - Surpass Remote Examination
Book online
Please ensure you are logged in to your account or, if you do not have an account, have registered.
Please ensure you are logged in to your account or, if you do not have an account, have registered.
International exams
Asia
Middle East, Europe & Central Asia
Africa
Apply before: 20 Aug 2026
20
Oct
2026
£535.00
Pricing notes:
Full price: £535.00BTL - Surpass Remote Examination
Book online
Please ensure you are logged in to your account or, if you do not have an account, have registered.
Please ensure you are logged in to your account or, if you do not have an account, have registered.
Upcoming exam dates
The MFDS Part 1 examination will be delivered via online remote examination - you can read our remote delivery guidance for more information.
MFDS Part 1 October 2026
Application deadline: 20 August 2026 | Exam date: 20 October 2026
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Candidates should note that there will only be one further MFDS Part 2 exam taking place in Spring 2027 after the October 2026 Part 1 exam and places are limited. Careful consideration should be given before booking the October 2026 Part 1 exam with RCS England rather than the new intercollegiate version managed by DSFE as any pass in MFDS Part 1 with RCS England cannot be carried over to the new MFDS exam.
Results are scheduled to be released 5-6 weeks after the exam date. Dates and fees may be subject to change. Please check back regularly for updates.
Candidates required to provide their Primary Dental Qualification must now provide these documents via email.
Please send scanned copies of your original documents to dentaleligibility@rcseng.ac.uk. Do not post in your document to our offices.
Important notice for candidates sitting the exam in India
Effective for all exams taking place from 1 July 2025, an additional 18% tax will be applied to exam fees for candidates sitting the exam in India.
This tax is mandated by local Indian tax regulations and is not determined by the College. The exam fee is £535 plus 18% tax, totalling £631.30.
Further details on the additional tax for exams in India can be found in the FAQs document
Regulations
Read the new MFDS exam regulations
Read the legacy MFDS exam regulations
Proof of identity at the exam
You must bring your passport to each part of the exam. If you cannot provide a passport, you must produce an official document that includes your name, signature and a current photograph, e.g. current photographic driving license.
For the purpose of visual identification, you may be required to remove any clothing and/or other item which covers all, or part of, your face. We will observe sensitivity in the visual identification of candidates.
To facilitate the assessment of non-verbal communication skills and interaction with the examiner, we reserve the right to require you to remove any item of clothing and/or other item which covers all or part of your face.
Legacy exam regulations and guidance
Got a question? Get in touch...
All MFDS Exam queries should be emailed to MFDSexam@rcseng.ac.uk
All document submissions for eligibility should be emailed to DentalEligibility@rcseng.ac.uk
Candidates should not post any documents to our offices.
Thank you for your enquiry. We will reply to you as soon as possible.
Telephone
For general exam queries please call 020 7405 3474 - Option 3
Our main switchboard is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm.