Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery Part 2
Exam overview
MFDS Part 2 is the second of the two-part Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (MFDS) exam. MFDS Part 2 tests your communication skills, clinical competence and clinical reasoning.
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 to taking the Dental Specialty Fellowship Examination and progressing to specialty practice.
The last sitting of the current MFDS Part 2 exam will be in March 2027.
Changes to the MFDS exam
Bookings for the new MFDS Part 2 exam will open on the MFDS booking platform. Find dates and further booking information on the Dental Examinations Executive information page.
- £700.00
Eligibility
To be eligible for the legacy or the new MFDS Part 2 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
- have passed MFDS Part 1.
For both the new and legacy MFDS exams, you must pass the Part 2 exam within five years of passing Part 1.
New MFDS exam format:
To take the new MFDS Part 2 exam, you must have passed the new format of the MFDS Part 1 exam.
You must also have enough clinical experience to demonstrate you can meet the learning outcomes in the COPDEND dental core training curricula.
Read the full eligibility criteria for the new format
Legacy MFDS exam format
To take the legacy MFDS Part 2 exam, you must have 12 months of full-time postgraduate experience in dentistry, or part-time equivalent up to 2 years.
You have four attempts to pass MFDS Part 2.
Exam format
MFDS Part 2 is an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). In both legacy and new MFDS Part 2 formats, you will move through 14 10‑minute stations that assess your clinical dental skills.
Each station is examined by one examiner, and some may feature actors playing the role of patients or dental team members.
The exam is conducted in English.
Read more about the new MFDS Part 2 format and view the syllabus
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
Legacy MFDS Part 2 exam:
The last sitting of the legacy MFDS Part 2 exam is in March 2027. Registration is open until 5pm on the application closing date, or until spaces are full.
The name you use when you book must exactly match the name on the government-issued photo ID you present on the exam day.
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
Whether you are taking the legacy or the new MFDS exam format, 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 exam 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.
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: 25 Aug 2026
Application for admission to the exam must reach us no later than 5pm on the closing date.
03
Nov
2026
-
05
Nov
2026
£700.00
Pricing notes:
Full price: £700.00MFDS: £630.00 (10% Discount)
LONDON, United Kingdom
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
MFDS Part 2 January 2026 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
Application deadline: TBC | Exam date: 20 - 22 January 2026 | Location: TBC
MFDS Part 2 March 2026 (London, UK)
Application deadline: 6 January 2026 | Exam date: 17 - 19 March 2026 | Location: RCS England
MFDS Part 2 November 2026 (London, UK)
Application deadline: 25 August 2026 | Exam date: 3 - 5 November 2026 | Location: RCS England
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.
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.