Recognised qualifications

Lists of qualifications recognised by the College can be found below by clicking the heading(s) relevant to your grade of membership. These lists may change from time to time as eligibility criteria for College membership grades are reviewed.

At present, only Full Members, Associate Fellows and Fellows may register postgraduate qualifications for presentation in the Register of Members & Fellows. Associate Members and Affiliate Members also appear on the Member Register but are not eligible to add postgraduate qualifications to their published entry. However, Associate Members may upload their postgraduate qualification(s) to their online account, and the College will be pleased to advise whether their qualification(s) provide, or contribute towards, eligibility for Full Membership, Associate Fellowship or Fellowship.

College Fellowships in Dental Nursing, Dental Hygiene & Therapy and Dental Technology are currently being developed, and awards contributing to eligibility for these will be added below once determined.

Recognised for Full Membership; only Full Members, Associate Fellows & Fellows can add these to the Member Register

  • MJDF
  • MFDS
  • MFGDP(UK)
  • Diploma in General Dental Practice
  • Postgraduate Certificate(s) in a relevant subject

    ‘Relevant subject’ means either a dental subject or a subject of wider relevance to the enhancement of oral healthcare; this is interpreted at the discretion of the College Council, and the College reserves the right to determine applications on a case-by-case basis.
Recognised for Associate Fellowship; only Associate Fellows & Fellows can add these to the Member Register
  • CGDent Diploma in Primary Care Orthodontics
  • Diploma in Postgraduate Dental Studies
  • FGDP(UK) Diploma in Implant Dentistry
  • FGDP(UK) Diploma in Primary Care Oral Surgery
  • FGDP(UK) Diploma in Restorative Dentistry
  • Master’s in Clinical Dentistry
  • Master’s level qualification(s) in a relevant subject
  • Membership in General Dental Surgery
  • PhD in a relevant subject
  • Postgraduate Diploma(s) in a relevant subject
  • RCS(Ed) Diploma in Implant Dentistry
  • Specialty Membership of a Royal College or Royal College faculty

    ‘Relevant subject’ means either a dental subject or a subject of wider relevance to the enhancement of oral healthcare; this is interpreted at the discretion of the College Council, and the College reserves the right to determine applications on a case-by-case basis.
Recognised towards Fellowship by experience; only Associate Fellows & Fellows can add these to the Member Register
  • Accredited Full Membership of the British Association for Cosmetic Dentistry
  • CGDent Diploma in Primary Care Orthodontics
  • Fellowship of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry
  • Fellowship of the Faculty of Dental Trainers of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
  • Fellowship of the Faculty of Medical Leadership & Management
  • Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy
  • Fellowship of the International College of Dentists
  • FGDP(UK) Diploma in Implant Dentistry
  • FGDP(UK) Diploma in Minor Oral Surgery
  • FGDP(UK) Diploma in Orthodontics
  • FGDP(UK) Diploma in Primary Care Oral Surgery
  • FGDP(UK) Diploma in Restorative Dentistry
  • Law degree or LLM
  • Master’s in Clinical Dentistry
  • Master’s level qualification(s) in a relevant subject
  • Membership in Advanced General Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
  • Membership in General Dental Surgery
  • Membership of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons
  • MPhil or PhD in a relevant subject
  • Postgraduate Certificate in Medical Education
  • Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma in a relevant legal subject
  • Postgraduate Diploma or Masters in a leadership and/or management subject
  • Postgraduate Diploma(s) in a relevant subject
  • RCS(Ed) Diploma in Implant Dentistry
  • Specialty Membership of a Royal College or Royal College faculty

    ‘Relevant subject’ means either a dental subject or a subject of wider relevance to the enhancement of oral healthcare; this is interpreted at the discretion of the College Council, and the College reserves the right to determine applications on a case-by-case basis.
Recognised for Fellowship by equivalence; only Fellows can add these to the Member Register
  • Board Certification by the American Board of General Dentistry
  • Fellowship of the College of Dentistry of South Africa
  • Fellowship or Honorary Fellowship of the former Faculty of General Dental Practice UK
  • Fellowship of the Royal College of Dentists of Canada
  • Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow or its Faculty of Dental Surgery
  • Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland or its Faculty of Dentistry
  • Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh or its Faculty of Dental Surgery
  • Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of England or its Faculty of Dental Surgery
  • Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons

Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters qualifications

Recognised UK qualifications

To be accepted, Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas and Master’s-level qualifications must be university-awarded (or otherwise accredited by a regulated awarding body) at Level 7 (defined by the relevant qualifications frameworks in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; Level 11 in Scotland).

They must also provide, respectively, 60, 120 and 180 UK credits: university awards that hold these titles are expected to meet that requirement; it is frequently the case that non-university awards do not.

Recognised non-UK qualifications

The College accepts postgraduate qualifications from recognised institutions in European Higher Education Area (EHEA) member countries and countries which were EHEA members when the qualification was awarded.

These should provide academic credits equivalent to those the College requires of UK qualifications: 30 ECTS credits (or the local conversion) for a qualification submitted as equivalent to a UK Postgraduate Certificate; 60 for a qualification submitted as equivalent to a UK Postgraduate Diploma; and 90 for a Master’s degree.

Other non-UK qualifications

Those submitting qualifications which are not recognised by default will be asked to provide a Statement of Comparability, which can be obtained from the UK National Information Centre for the recognition and evaluation of international qualifications and skills (UK ENIC, formerly UK NARIC).

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