International dentists joining GDC register outnumber UK-qualifiers for the first time

More than half (53%) of dentists who joined the General Dental Council (GDC) register in 2025 were internationally qualified, according to the regulator’s latest statistical report.

This brings the total percentage of UK-qualified dentists to roughly 66%. Of those who qualified internationally, 18.7% were European economic area qualified, 10.1% joined via the Overseas Registration Exam, 3.2% were rest of world qualified and 2.1% joined via the Licence in Dental Surgery examination.

The figures come as the GDC undertakes major reforms to the Overseas Registration Exam, with capacity, as well as fees, rising significantly under its new contract with UCL Consultants. Once fully scaled, the GDC expects up to 1,500 successful candidates a year, a substantial increase on the 10.1% who joined via the ORE route last year.

In total, the Registration Statistical Report for 2025 showed a 4.7% increase in the number of registered dental professionals in the UK to 131,680. Of these, 47,916 were dentists (a 3.4% increase) and 83,764 were dental care professionals (up by 5.5%).

Dental nurses now make up more than half of the dental profession, with 96% of those who joined in 2025 being female.

The fastest growing group was found to be dental therapists, which had increased by 21% to 8,661. Seven in 10 newly-registered dental therapists were international dentists who joined the register under a lower title – a route which has now closed. The number of dental hygienists also increased by 11% to 11,292.

On the other hand, the amount of dental technicians declined once again for the sixth year in a row. Only 143 dental technicians joined the register in 2025, with the total number falling below 5,000 for the first time.

The data underlines how heavily the UK now relies on international recruitment to sustain the dental workforce.

Removals from the GDC register

Another consideration of the report was removals from the register. The 1,069 dentists removed in 2025 was a 16% decrease from 2024.

The most common reason for removal was voluntary removal, at 38.2%. The others were:

• Non-payment of the annual retention fee (32.5%)
• Retirement (20.9%)
• Failure to meet CPD requirements (4.2%)
• Death (2.3%)
• Failure to meet indemnity requirements (1.2%).

Among dental care professionals, non-payment was a much more frequent reason for removal – standing at 58.4%.

Registrant demographics

The report also gave further insight into the demographics of the dental profession. For example, 78% of all dental professionals identify as female. This includes 54% of dentists and 92% of dental care professionals.

Three in 10 (31%) dentists in the UK said they were Asian or Asian British – which is three times higher than the proportion in the total UK population. A total of 46% of dentists identified as white, compared to 74% of dental care professionals.

Theresa Thorp, executive director of regulation at the GDC, said: ‘This report provides important insights into the dental workforce, the people who make up our register, and dental professions that are growing and changing.  

‘Supporting a diverse and growing dental workforce is one of the core commitments in our strategy, Trusted and Effective, for 2026 to 2028, and we’re committed to ensuring our registration processes are as straightforward as possible for those joining our register.’

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