Specialist lists

Specialist lists are made up of registered dentists whose skills, knowledge and experience have met the conditions required to use a specialist title. Dentists do not have to join a specialist list to practise any particular specialty, but they can only use the title 'specialist' if they are on that list.

Specialist lists are designed to:

• Protect the public against unwarranted claims of specialist skills and experience
• Help the public, employers and others identify dentists with recognised specialist skills and experience in a distinct branch of dentistry and to support appropriate patient referral
• Support development of scientific knowledge and education.

Members of the public can find a specialist by searching the GDC register.

What fields can dentists specialise in?

Eleven specialties are recognised in the GDC (Specialist List) Regulations 2024. Please visit our specialty curricula pages for the full list of specialist titles. Dentists on these lists have met minimum standards of training or demonstrated an equivalent level of skills, knowledge and experience, as determined by European and GDC regulations.

Certificate of completion of specialist training (CCST) in the UK

If you are registered with the GDC and have completed an approved specialist training programme, you may apply for the award of a CCST and entry onto the relevant specialist list.

Applications for approved training programmes must be submitted to your regional postgraduate dental dean, who will monitor you throughout your period of training. At the end of your training you must hold the agreed qualification awarded by one of the three Royal Surgical Colleges: the Royal College of Surgeons England, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow and the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. You must fulfil all entry, training and assessment criteria to be eligible for the award of a CCST.

For information about the availability of training programmes in your area and information on how to apply, contact your regional postgraduate dental office.

Swiss applicants

You may be able to apply to join a specialist list if you are a Swiss dentist within the meaning as given by the European Qualifications (Health and Social Care Professions) (EFTA States) (Amendment etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 and you are currently registered with the GDC as a dentist. 

If you fall into this category, please contact the Assessments team and include your nationality, whether you hold specialist dental qualifications from outside of the UK, or if you have knowledge and experience derived from academic or research work. 

Non-CCST routes to specialist listing 

For UK and overseas qualified dentists without a CCST, alternative evidence can be considered for entry onto a specialist list. There is a single general assessment route for all applicants who have not completed a (CCST) or are from a country included in eligible qualifications (oral surgery) or eligible qualifications (orthodontics). 

Oral surgery and orthodontics

The orthodontic specialty and oral surgery specialty are recognised by the European Primary and Specialist Dental Qualifications Regulations 1998 and therefore have a different set of routes to the other specialties recognised by the GDC (Specialist List) Regulations 2024. Please read oral surgery guidance or orthodontics guidance for detailed information.

The option to apply based on knowledge, skill and experience is intended to provide access to the specialist lists for those who do not hold a CCST or cannot access the specialist lists in any other way.

For orthodontics and oral surgery, there is no requirement in the relevant European legislation for candidates to have completed a specific specialist training programme or qualification. This route assesses whether an applicant has acquired knowledge and experience in the relevant specialty through academic or research work that is equivalent to that which they might reasonably be expected to have acquired had they undertaken the training required for an award of a CCST in that specialty. 

You can also apply for assessment if you have a UK qualification in orthodontics or oral surgery and are able to demonstrate that your knowledge, skill and experience is equivalent to that which may be expected if you had trained via a CCST. 

Other specialties

For all other specialties, it is essential to hold a specialist qualification and be able to demonstrate how your knowledge, skills and experience meet the standard equivalent to that which is reasonably expected to be acquired through a CCST. Please read our specialties application guidance for more information.

When you apply, you should ensure that you have evidence that can map across to the relevant specialty training curriculum outcomes. Applicants should also provide evidence of any relevant formal postgraduate qualification(s) that they may hold. 

These routes may be suitable for applicants who have undertaken training subsequent to a university postgraduate (eg master's level) degree, with evidence of high quality research and teaching.

These routes may also be suitable for those applying on the basis that they have the skills, knowledge and experience in the specialty additional to that derived from clinical work. 

Restorative dentistry, endodontics, periodontics and prosthodontics

If you have completed a GDC-recognised specialist training programme and been awarded a CCST in restorative dentistry under the pre-2009 curriculum, you may also apply for a CCST and entry to the specialist lists in one or more of the former monospecialties – endodontics, periodontics and prosthodontics – provided you submit a separate application for each.

For further information, please refer to our policy statement on restorative dentistry. 

In February 2022, the Committee of Postgraduate Dental Deans and Directors (COPDEND) issued a statement on Joint Restorative Dentistry and Monospecialty CCST, which is supported by the GDC.

Specialist assessments

The GDC's assessment team will seek expert advice and recommendations as to the eligibility of a candidate from a specialist assessment panel as appropriate. 

Further details outlining the processes, policies, and responsibilities involved in assessing applications can be found in the general guidance for assessors.

Before you apply

For all specialist applications, please read Before you apply plus the relevant guidance for your particular specialty (oral surgery, orthodontics or other specialties). You should then set up an online account, complete the route to registration questionnaire and make your application.