ORE Paper B Exam Study Guide (2026)
Everything the ORE Part 1 Paper B: Clinical Dentistry, Law, Ethics and Health and Safety tests, topic by topic: what each section covers, the facts that come up most, and how to study it. Pair it with the free 15-question practice test.
The exam at a glance
| Questions | Single best answer (SBA) and extended matching questions (EMQs); the GDC doesn't publish the number of items |
|---|---|
| Time | 3 hours |
| Passing score | Standard-set for each sitting and not given in advance. In August 2026 the minimum pass score for Paper B was 54.3% |
| Format | Closed book, computer-based |
| Certifying body | General Dental Council (GDC) |
| Test provider | UCL Consultants for the GDC, computer-based at an exam venue in London |
Mind map: the whole exam on one screen
Read the complete ORE Paper B study notes for “Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics”
Our first full set of comprehensive notes, about 15 minutes of reading: Diagnosing the pulp from the history · Managing caries the UK way · Root canal treatment standards · Cracks, sensitivity and other look-alikes, a worked exam example, the traps examiners use and a one-minute recap. Create a free account to read it and see how premium notes work before you decide.
1. Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
Caries diagnosis and management, restoration choice, pulp and periapical diagnosis, and root canal treatment to UK standards. Expect diagnosis-from-history questions and 'best next step' management.
Key facts
- Manage caries with minimal intervention: prevention, remineralisation of non-cavitated lesions, selective caries removal in deep lesions to avoid pulp exposure, and sealing.
- Reversible pulpitis: short, sharp pain to stimuli that stops when the stimulus is removed. Irreversible pulpitis: lingering or spontaneous pain. Necrosis: no response to sensibility tests.
- Symptomatic apical periodontitis gives tenderness to biting and percussion; an acute apical abscess adds swelling and may need drainage. Antibiotics are only for spreading infection or systemic signs.
- Endodontics needs rubber dam isolation (a standard of care in the UK), sodium hypochlorite irrigation, working length by apex locator and radiograph, and a well-sealed coronal restoration.
- Cuspal coverage (an onlay or crown) is advised for root-filled posterior teeth that have lost marginal ridges, to reduce the risk of fracture.
- Cracked tooth: sharp pain on biting, especially on release; diagnose with a tooth sleuth or transillumination.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Most restorative questions are diagnosis first, treatment second. Get the pulp diagnosis right from the pain history and the management usually follows.
2. Periodontology
Periodontal screening (BPE), the 2017 classification as implemented by the BSP (staging, grading, stability), risk factors, and the stepwise treatment from the BSP's adaptation of the EFP S3 guideline.
Key facts
- BPE codes: 0 healthy, 1 bleeding, 2 retentive factor, 3 pocket 3.5 to 5.5 mm, 4 pocket over 5.5 mm, * furcation. A code 4 in any sextant means full 6-point pocket charting of the whole dentition.
- Under 18s: a simplified BPE on index teeth (UR6, UR1, UL6, LL6, LL1, LR6), codes 0 to 2 from age 7 and full codes from age 12.
- Staging (I to IV) reflects severity: interproximal bone loss at the worst site (I: below 15%, II: coronal third, III: middle third, IV: apical third) and tooth loss due to periodontitis.
- Grade (A, B, C) reflects rate of progression: % bone loss ÷ age below 0.5 = A, 0.5 to 1.0 = B, over 1.0 = C. Record smoking and diabetes control as risk factors.
- Stepwise therapy: step 1 risk-factor control and oral hygiene, step 2 subgingival instrumentation, step 3 for non-responding sites, step 4 supportive care.
- Smoking is the biggest modifiable risk factor; poorly controlled diabetes is the main systemic one.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Staging and grading questions are arithmetic in disguise. Find the worst site, convert bone loss to a percentage, divide by age, then read off the grade.
3. Prosthodontics
Complete and partial dentures, fixed prosthodontics and implants: classification, design, jaw relations, occlusion and common denture problems.
Key facts
- Freeway space (rest vertical dimension minus occlusal vertical dimension) is normally 2 to 4 mm.
- Increased OVD: pain, clicking teeth, strained appearance. Reduced OVD: poor appearance, reduced chewing efficiency, possible angular cheilitis.
- Kennedy classes: I bilateral free-end, II unilateral free-end, III unilateral bounded, IV single bounded saddle crossing the midline anteriorly. Modifications are extra saddles (not for Class IV).
- Partial denture design order: saddles, support, retention, bracing (reciprocation), connectors, then review indirect retention.
- Cobalt-chromium frameworks are stiffer and can be thinner than acrylic; clasps on cobalt-chromium need about 0.25 mm of undercut, wrought gold or wire clasps more.
- Denture stomatitis is usually Candida-associated: improve denture hygiene, leave dentures out at night and treat the denture as well as the mucosa.
Flashcards
Exam tip: For denture-problem questions, link the complaint to the stage that went wrong: retention (impression and extension), stability (tooth position, occlusion) or support (jaw relations and OVD).
Test yourself on these topics
Take the free 15-question ORE Paper B test, then save your results to unlock your Readiness Score and the mistakes bank.
4. Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics
Prevention (Delivering Better Oral Health), behaviour management, primary-tooth pulp therapy, dental trauma, safeguarding, development of the occlusion and orthodontic assessment with IOTN.
Key facts
- DBOH (2021): children up to 3 years brush twice daily with a smear of at least 1,000 ppm fluoride toothpaste; 3 to 6 years a pea-sized amount of more than 1,000 ppm. Fluoride varnish (22,600 ppm) at least twice a year from age 3, more often for higher-risk children.
- Avulsed permanent tooth: replant immediately if possible, or store in milk or saline; splint flexibly for about 2 weeks. Never replant an avulsed primary tooth.
Flashcards
Exam tip: DBOH and IOTN numbers are among the easiest marks on Paper B. Learn them as tables, by age and by grade.
5. Oral Surgery and Oral Medicine
Extractions and their complications, third molars (NICE), oral mucosal disease, oral cancer referral (NICE NG12), salivary and facial pain conditions, and the medically complex patient.
Key facts
- NICE TA1 advises against prophylactic removal of pain-free, disease-free impacted third molars; remove for disease such as recurrent pericoronitis, unrestorable caries, cysts or resorption.
- Dry socket appears 2 to 4 days after extraction: manage with irrigation, a dressing and analgesia. Antibiotics aren't indicated.
Flashcards
Exam tip: When a question describes a lesion and asks for management, ask first whether it meets an NG12 referral trigger. If it does, that's almost always the answer.
6. Dental Radiography and Radiation Protection
IRR17 and IR(ME)R 2017 duties, justification and selection criteria (FGDP(UK)), dose reduction, image quality, radiographic interpretation and CBCT.
Key facts
- IRR17 protects staff and the public (employer duties, RPA, local rules, controlled area, radiation protection supervisor). IR(ME)R 2017 protects patients.
- IR(ME)R duty holders: employer, referrer, practitioner (justifies the exposure), operator (carries out the practical aspects). One dentist can hold several roles.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Keep the two sets of regulations apart: IRR17 is about the workplace and staff; IR(ME)R is about the patient being exposed.
7. Law, Ethics and Professionalism
The GDC's Standards for the Dental Team (nine principles), consent and capacity across the UK, confidentiality and data protection, record keeping, complaints, raising concerns, duty of candour and scope of practice.
Key facts
- The nine GDC principles: put patients' interests first; communicate effectively; obtain valid consent; maintain and protect information; have a clear and effective complaints procedure; work with colleagues; maintain, develop and work within your professional knowledge and skills; raise concerns if patients are at risk; make sure your behaviour maintains patients' confidence in you and the profession.
- Valid consent is voluntary, informed (including options, risks, costs and the option of no treatment) and given by someone with capacity. Montgomery (2015) set the test of material risk.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Ethics answers almost always put the patient's safety and autonomy first and involve being open. If an option protects the dentist at the patient's expense, it's wrong.
8. Health and Safety, Infection Control and Medical Emergencies
HTM 01-05 decontamination, sharps and inoculation injuries, COSHH, waste, and the management of medical emergencies to Resuscitation Council UK standards with the emergency drug kit.
Key facts
- HTM 01-05: clean, then disinfect or sterilise; a washer-disinfector is preferred to manual cleaning; vacuum (type B) or non-vacuum (type N) steam sterilisers; dirty-to-clean workflow.
- Sharps injury: encourage bleeding, wash with soap and running water (don't scrub or suck), cover, report, and get urgent occupational health advice; HIV post-exposure prophylaxis works best started within hours.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Medical emergency questions are about the first correct action. Learn the drug, dose and route for each emergency as one fact.
How to pass
- Answer as a UK dentist would: SDCEP, NICE, FGDP(UK), BSP and Delivering Better Oral Health set the 'correct' answer, even where practice differs in your home country.
- Law, ethics and health and safety are where overseas-trained dentists lose most marks. Learn consent (including Gillick competence and the Mental Capacity Act), the GDC's nine principles, IR(ME)R roles and HTM 01-05.
- Learn the numbers that the guidance turns on: BPE codes, radiograph intervals by caries risk, fluoride ppm by age, IOTN grades and emergency drug doses.
- Paper B's pass mark was 54.3% in August 2026, higher than Paper A's. Treat it as the harder paper and aim for 65% or more in timed mocks.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I study for the ORE Paper B exam?
Most working candidates need 4 to 8 weeks at 45 to 60 minutes a day. Book your exam once your Readiness Score has stayed at 80 or higher for about a week.
Can I take the ORE Paper B exam online?
No. ORE Part 1 is computer-based but sat in person at an exam venue in London allocated by the GDC's exam provider. Format: closed book, computer-based. Check the GDC's ORE pages for the current arrangements.
What score do I need to pass the ORE Paper B exam?
Standard-set for each sitting and not given in advance. In August 2026 the minimum pass score for Paper B was 54.3%. The exam has single best answer (sba) and extended matching questions (emqs); the gdc doesn't publish the number of items and a time limit of 3 hours.
What are the most tested topics?
The outline covers restorative dentistry and endodontics, periodontology, prosthodontics, paediatric dentistry and orthodontics, oral surgery and oral medicine, dental radiography and radiation protection, law, ethics and professionalism, health and safety, infection control and medical emergencies. Use the free practice test to see which ones you need most.
The premium ORE Paper B study path
Premium ORE Paper B prep is studied one topic at a time. Each step starts with that topic's key notes and flashcard deck, then its own question sets of 25, so you master one topic before you move to the next. When every topic is strong, the 6 full mock exams show you're ready.
Your step-by-step study path
- 1Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Notes free with an account
- 2Periodontology8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 3Prosthodontics8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 4Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 5Oral Surgery and Oral Medicine7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 6Dental Radiography and Radiation Protection7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 7Law, Ethics and Professionalism7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 8Health and Safety, Infection Control and Medical Emergencies7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- Final step: 6 full mock exams50 questions each, timed like test day. Pass them, then book your exam.Premium
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- 3,000 practice questions + 6 full mock exams per exam
- 800 flashcards + 60 key notes per exam, by topic, plus mind maps
- Spaced repetition + mistakes bank
- Readiness Score & detailed reports
- Video lessons as they release
- Content updates during your access
- 5 bonuses: UK guidelines numbers sheet, oral pathology atlas, study planner and more
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Renews once a year until you cancel. We email you before each renewal. Cancel any time from your account; you keep access until the end of the year you've paid for.
Summarized from the General Dental Council's official candidate information and the rules cited, checked November 2026. Confirm current requirements with General Dental Council (GDC).