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  4. Working in the UK before GDC registration
  5. Permission to work in the UK

Permission to work in the UK

To work legally as a dentist in the UK, you must hold the relevant GDC registration for your role and meet immigration requirements.

Overview

In most cases, unless you have the right to live and work in the UK through family connections, you will require sponsorship by an employer for a relevant visa. The practice you join must also hold a valid sponsorship licence to be permitted to employ you.

Employers with sponsorship licences have specific responsibilities to both you and the Home Office. You should note that the sponsorship binds you to the employer, which could lead to issues if you have problems with said employer.

BDA associate contract reviews

It is crucial to review your employment contract carefully to understand any clauses that may impact your ability to change employers or sponsors in the future.

Once on the GDC register, most overseas qualified dentists will be looking for associate dentist roles. The contract – or associate agreement - is the foundation of the relationship between you and the practice owner, getting it reviewed before signing is essential to ensure that you have the right agreement in place.

Getting a single contract checked can cost as much as £1,000 on the high street, but we offer free contract reviews to all our associate members.

Learn more about your contract with the practice.

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