Asylum seeker and refugee dentists

If you are a dentist through qualification, registration or equivalent in your home country and you now have asylum seeker or refugee status and currently live in the UK then we are here to help you.

Read more about our process and what we can offer on this page.
You can request help by completing the application form.

How we help

Financial aid requests are done through an application form which you can find below.

The form asks you to upload evidence that you are a dentist (for example your qualification certificate), plus evidence of your immigration status as an asylum seeker or refugee. Like all applicants, we also ask you to upload bank statements for all your bank accounts covering the last three months to verify your financial situation.

Once we’ve received this, we will make an initial check and then arrange a time to speak. The phone call helps us to understand your application, to go through any queries and to explain the process including our timescales.

What we help with

Support is given based on what it is you need the most.

This could be funds towards rent, bills, and food. We also help with costs towards getting qualified or registered in the UK as a dentist. This may be funds for continual professional development (CPD) including travel and equipment costs, exams fees, registration fees with the General Dental Council and/ or towards indemnity (insurance) once you have been offered a role.

Free Resouces

You are also welcome to access any of our free resources regarding budgeting and support with your wellbeing at any point.

Other Organisations

There are organisations across the UK supporting refugees plus other organisations have a remit of specifically helping asylum seeker and refugees with healthcare qualifications.

We work with them to ensure you are getting the best help. Their details are below.

Where possible, we encourage you to seek help with these organisations before coming to us as they often have tailored programmes to help with education including English Language qualifications, housing, and employment.

Refugee Assessment and Guidance Unit (RAGU) (London)

Refugee Council

Restart Refugee Support (UK)

Refuaid (UK)

Bridges Programmes (Scotland)

British Dental Association (UK)

Council for At Risk Academics (CARA) (UK)

Dental Mentors (UK)

Displaced People in Action (Wales)

How to work as a dentist in the UK

If you qualified overseas and want to work as a dentist in the UK, there are different routes depending on where you trained.

General Dental Council (GDC) Registration

Every dentist must be registered with the General Dental Council (GDC). There is an application process and a fee. Their website outlines the requirements including the exams you need to take to be eligible for registration.

Dentists who have passed the Overseas Registration Exams (ORE) or License in Dental Surgery (LDC) exams can apply to be registered by the General Dental Council.

National Health Service (NHS) Careers

After registration, may wish to work for the National Health Service (NHS). The following links offer some guidance to the process of how to get a role in the UK.

Healthcare Careers – NHS

Royal College of Surgeons

Guidance for International Dental Graduates

Working as an NHS dentist (England)

Working as an NHS dentist (Scotland)

Working as an NHS dentist (Northern Ireland)

Working as an NHS dentist (Wales)

Get support in other ways

You can also get support with your wellbeing including counselling, legal and debt advice via our Assistance Programme in partnership with Health Assured via a 24/7 helpline, smartphone app or online wellbeing content.