The requirements to present for the FFDRCSI examination are as follows:

• BDS/B Dent Sc. or equivalent basic undergraduate Dental Degree
• MFD/MFDS/MJDF
• Evidence of satisfactory completion of three years full-time (or part-time equivalent not normally exceeding six years) training. Candidates are required to submit certified, documented evidence of their training/relevant hospital positions.

Evidence of satisfactory completion of three years full-time training must be submitted to the Faculty. OSOM & ORD training can be completed in different institutions but evidence of this must be provided at the time of application. For all other specialities training must be completed in the same institution.

Candidates interested in sitting the FFD RCSI examinations must submit their documentation for assessment, during a specified period of time, to the Faculty of Dentistry FFD assessment Portal which can be accessed here.

The assessment portal will open twice a year for a limited period of time. Details of the next assessment window can be viewed on our Faculty website here.

The Faculty of Dentistry will be in contact with you shortly after you submit your documents for assessment. If you deemed eligible to sit the FFD exam, you will be sent an approval letter which you will need in order to officially apply for the exam and pay your exam fee. You will officially apply for the exam and pay your exam fee through the RCSI postgrad admin system and further details regarding this will be included within your approval letter.

The Faculty intends to run all FFD exam specialties entirely face-to-face in 2023, circumstances permitting. 2023 FFD exam dates can be found here.

The format of the written part of the examination will include a 90 minute, 15 station OSCE paper, to be followed by 90 minutes of a 10 short answer questions paper. Please note that the length, format and timing of the written papers and other aspects of the examination may be subject to change for operational/health and safety reasons which we will communicate with candidates where applicable. The FFD examination will also include Viva's and case presentations, where relevant, on a face-to-face setting at RCSI in Dublin.

Applicants who withdraw from an examination before the examination closing date will have the application fee refunded, less a 20% administrative charge. Applicants who withdraw after the exam closing date, or who fail to attend, will forfeit the fee paid in full. If work commitments prevent your attendance, the Faculty of Dentistry, RCSI is not responsible for the refund of any part of the application fee. Transfers are not normally permitted.

If you are unable to travel to Ireland for the exam due to a local Covid restriction within your area/Country, your application would be transferred to future exam sitting.

There may be occasions when your attendance is affected by circumstances beyond your normal control. In this instance an application for exceptional circumstances must be submitted as detailed in the Professional Exams – Exceptional Circumstances Policy. Applications of this nature must be made within 14 days of the date of the examination.

Please refer to the Irish Government travel advice website for up to date travel information: https://www.dfa.ie/travel/travel-advice

Please refer to the Irish Government travel advice website for up to date travel guidance: https://www.dfa.ie/travel/travel-advice

In order to become a Fellow of the Faculty of Dentistry, RCSI you must have successfully completed a Fellowship Examination of the Faculty of Dentistry, RCSI. The Fellowship is not normally awarded by affiliation.

If you pass Part A of the examination you will be exempt this section for the following 4 diets.

Candidates who hold a medical degree are exempt from Part A. Please note that only the FFD OSOM and FFD OM have been divided into Part A and Part B. Under the new “on-line” arrangements, the rest of the FFDRCSI Specialties are in a single part (On-line written + face-to-face examination)

No refund of fees or transfer of exam will be allowed once a candidate sits their written papers. Refund/Transfer of fees will only be allowed in advance of the written papers and only in the case that a candidate cannot travel due to Covid restrictions or in the case of very special circumstances.

The Specialist Fellowship Diploma of the Faculty of Dentistry, RCSI is registrable in the Register of Dentists for Ireland as an additional qualification provided that the name of the holder already appears in that Register. Details regarding the registration of the diploma may be obtained from the Registrar, Irish Dental Council, 57 Merrion Square, Dublin 2, Ireland. The Diploma does not entitle the holder to admission to the Register of Dental Specialists in Ireland.