Do I qualify for GDC Registration in the UK under 2005/36/EC?

Question: I qualified as and practiced as a dentist in a non-EEA country (third country). For over 3 years, I have been working in Spain. All of the relevant bodies in Spain have recognised my qualifications under the 2005/36/EC directive. Since starting work in Spain, I have had no issues or complaints.  My plan is to move to the UK and work there as a dentist, but before doing so I want to know of the GDC will accept my qualification. I ask because I did not secure my degree in an EU university.

Answer: From what you say, you do meet the conditions of Article 3(3) of Directive 2005/36. You may have obtained your dentist qualifications outside the EU, but have been able to work legally in Spain as a dentist and have successfully registered with all of the relevant Spanish bodies. This being the case you should qualify to be added to the GDC (General Dental Council) Register using the EC rights clause that is in their guidelines.

However, the GDC looks at EU rights applications in detail, and many applicants are disappointed and surprised when their request for registration is rejected. Many in the industry believe that the GDC prefers dentists from abroad to take the ORE and physically demonstrate their skills and working practices. They certainly carry out rigorous checks of qualifications, work history, disciplinary issues and residency to ensure that all ‘EU right’ candidates really do qualify and are in good standing. The GDC rejects a lot of these applications and does so for all kinds of reasons.

For this reason we recommend that anyone who wants to apply for GDC registration using EU rights does so with the help of a legal advisor. At Hylton Potts, we regularly deal with GDC registrations for Non-EU nationals. This means we have current experience of how their guidelines are actually applied. We can assess the validity of your application and ensure that all of the necessary paperwork is included and properly presented. Our aim is to improve the chances of your application being passed, and we provide this service for a low fixed fee.