The opening date for applications for 10 new Dental Specialty Fellowship Examinations is approaching.
This is part of a new, joined-up approach to assessment which will also see changes to the MFDS (Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery) qualification.
Changes to specialty exams
Currently, most dental specialties have multiple versions of the specialty exam, administered by individual royal colleges, or a combination of colleges.
The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, the Royal College of Surgeons of England and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, will introduce a new, tri-collegiate approach to assessment to cover 10 specialties. Assessment of the remaining dental specialties will remain with the relevant bodies.
Having a single exam for each specialty will enable consistency for trainees and will provide a clearer training pathway for all specialties, while continuing to support patient safety.
The first examinations for Part 1, the single best answer exam, will take place this October in various locations in the United Kingdom. Part 2, the clinical structured orals, will take place from February to April 2027. International exam dates will be planned for 2027.
Professor Sondos Albadri, Chair of the Dental Specialty Fellowship Examinations Board, said:
“This is an exciting time as we get closer to the start of a new generation of specialty exams. We are in the final stages of preparation before opening for applications.
This new framework broadens access and provides more opportunities for dentists to have their specialist knowledge, skills, and experience formally recognised through the award of a Fellowship in their chosen specialty by one of the UK’s surgical Royal Colleges.
We hope this provides a clear and flexible pathways for all specialties.”
Changes to MFDS
The MFDS (Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery) qualification will also be changing over 2026 and 2027. The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, the Royal College of Surgeons of England and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow are delighted to announce the launch of the new tri-collegiate MFDS examination. Delivered and recognised internationally, the MFDS is a marker of advanced clinical knowledge, professionalism and communication across a wide range of dental disciplines. Whether you are aiming to strengthen your professional credentials, progress into specialty training or enhance your clinical practice, the MFDS is a key milestone in your development and will provide a variety of life long opportunities and professional relationships within the College(s) of your choice.
Find out more
Ahead of the opening date for applications for the new examinations, dentists are encouraged to visit the website www.dsfe.org.uk to find out more about the changes, eligibility criteria and exam dates.
List of specialties to be covered by the new approach:
- Dental Public Health
- Endodontics
- Oral Medicine
- Oral Surgery
- Orthodontics
- Paediatric Dentistry
- Periodontics
- Prosthodontics
- Restorative Dentistry
- Special Care Dentistry
List of specialties not covered:
- Dental and Maxillofacial Radiology
- Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology
- Oral Microbiology