For International Dentists · Last updated: 11 May 2026

OET for Dentists — GDC & ADC Pathway

Internationally trained dentists pursuing UK GDC or Australian ADC registration should aim for Grade B across all four OET sub-tests. The Dental Board of Australia (AHPRA) accepts Grade C+ in Writing with Grade B in Listening, Reading and Speaking. Writing is consistently the bottleneck. Our corrections use dentistry-specific case notes and the six-criteria marking the examiner applies.

Get My Letter Corrected Try the Free Writing Checker

Quick answer

Internationally trained dentists need Grade B (350) in each of the four OET sub-tests for GDC (UK), ADC (Australia), and equivalent regulators. The GDC has no Grade C+ Writing concession. The Dental Board of Australia (AHPRA) has accepted Grade C+ (300) in Writing since 18 March 2025, with Grade B in Listening, Reading and Speaking. Writing is the most retaken sub-test — typically due to Genre & Style losses when adapting register from colleague-dentist to non-dentist addressee (e.g. GP, family member). Tooth notation systems (FDI, Universal, Palmer) require adjustment to the addressee.

Key takeaways for dentists

Required grade: GDC and ADC both require Grade B (350) in Writing. The Dental Board of Australia (AHPRA) accepts C+ (300) in Writing since 18 March 2025.
Most common letter type: Specialist referral (oral surgery, orthodontics, paediatric dentistry) or post-procedure discharge.
Top criterion lost: Genre & Style — register mismatch when writing to a non-dentist addressee.
Notation matters: Tooth notation systems (FDI / Universal / Palmer) must be readable to the addressee — adjust as needed.
Validity: 2 years from test date for most regulators.

Required OET Scores by Regulator (Dentistry)

Regulator

Country

Required (Writing)

Combine?

GDC

United Kingdom

B (350)

Yes

Dental Board of Australia (AHPRA)

Australia

C+ (300) since 18 Mar 2025

Yes (12 months)

ADC

Australia

B (350)

Yes

Dental Council

Ireland

B (350)

Yes

DCNZ

New Zealand

B (350)

Yes

NDEB

Canada

B (350)

Yes

The Three Letter Types Dentists Write Most

1. Specialist referral

Sent to an oral surgeon, orthodontist, paediatric dentist, or endodontist. Tests your ability to summarise findings concisely and state the reason for referral clearly.

Marking watch-out: Purpose — reason for referral must lead, not the patient's full dental history.

2. Post-procedure discharge letter

Following a complex procedure (extraction, surgical, root canal). Addressee is typically the patient's GP or referring dentist.

Marking watch-out: Conciseness — summarise the procedure and follow-up; don't narrate every appointment.

3. Treatment-plan or transfer letter

When a patient moves practice or requires a multi-stage plan documented for another clinician. Addressee usually a colleague dentist.

Marking watch-out: Organisation — logical clinical handover order (history → current status → plan → next steps).

The Four Mistakes That Cost Dentists Their Grade

Register mismatch with non-dentist addressee

Costs marks in: Genre & Style

Using FDI tooth notation or dental shorthand when the addressee is a GP or family member. Fix: write '#11 (upper right central incisor)' rather than just '#11'.

Over-explaining when writing to a colleague dentist

Costs marks in: Conciseness & Clarity

Defining basic dental terms in a referral to an oral surgeon. Fix: assume colleague-level dental knowledge in colleague-addressed letters.

Buried referral purpose

Costs marks in: Purpose

Opening with patient demographics rather than the reason for referral. Fix: 'I am referring this patient for [specific procedure]' in sentence one.

Procedural narrative recap

Costs marks in: Organisation & Layout

Walking through each visit chronologically when the addressee only needs the current status. Fix: organise by relevance to the addressee, not by date.

Frequently Asked Questions

What OET score do dentists need for the GDC? +

The General Dental Council (GDC) requires Grade B (350) in each of the four OET sub-tests for registration in the UK. There is no equivalent of the NMC Grade C+ Writing concession for dentists — all four must reach Grade B.

Does the Australian Dental Council accept OET? +

Yes. The Dental Board of Australia, through AHPRA, has accepted Grade C+ (300) in Writing since 18 March 2025, with Grade B (350) still needed in Listening, Reading and Speaking. It accepts results from two sittings within 12 months, provided the minimum scores are met in each sitting. Grade B in all four sub-tests is also accepted. For Australian Dental Council (ADC) pathways, check the ADC's own page for its current minimums.

What letter type do dentists typically write in OET Writing? +

Dentists are usually asked to write a referral letter to a specialist (oral surgeon, orthodontist, paediatric dentist) or a discharge letter following a procedure. The case notes are dentistry-specific — including tooth notation, periodontal findings, and treatment history. Profession-aware correction matters because nursing or medical correctors may not catch tooth-notation errors or specialist-referral nuances.

Why is OET Writing harder for dentists than expected? +

Dental notation systems (Universal vs Palmer vs FDI) and dentistry-specific shorthand often appear in case notes, and candidates either over-explain or under-explain depending on the assumed reader. The most common criterion lost is Genre & Style — adapting the register to a non-dentist GP versus a specialist colleague. Conciseness & Clarity is the second most common loss point.

How many corrections do dentists usually need before passing? +

First-time candidates typically pass after 4-6 corrections; re-takers more often need 6-8 corrections across 4-8 weeks. The dentistry cohort is smaller than nursing or medicine, but the marking pattern is consistent — Writing is the most retaken sub-test.

Related guides

All 12 OET Professions

Guidance for every OET profession — nursing, medicine, pharmacy and more.

The Six OET Writing Criteria

What examiners look for, criterion by criterion.

OET Letter Templates

Reference structures for referral and discharge.

OET Writing Common Mistakes

Cross-profession patterns that cost marks.

GDC OET Requirements for Dentists

The exact OET grades the GDC accepts for registration.

Send a dental letter for correction

Marked against the six OET criteria by a corrector aware of dental notation and referral patterns. 24-hour turnaround.

Get My Letter Corrected

Ready to fix the mistakes costing you marks in dentistry? Dr Mariam's professional OET writing correction service marks every letter against all six OET writing criteria and returns line-by-line corrections within 24–72 hours.

See how it works