Pass
Part One.
All three written papers. Bench test training. Live timed mocks. Built in Ireland, taught by dentists who passed it.
Second week of January 2027, then closed until the following sitting.
Nine hours of written papers over two days, plus a three-hour bench test. Neither offsets the other.
What stops most overseas dentists
Paperwork and the clock, more often than dentistry. Verification runs to months, the application window is five days, and the bench test is marked on technique performed against time. We prepare both halves of Part 1 and read your application before it is filed.
☎Book your free 15-min call→Registering as a dentist in Ireland — how it works
The route into the Irish dental register, in ninety seconds.
Read the guideStop Dreaming, Start Practicing — How to Nail Your Irish Dental Council (IDC) ApplicationNinety seconds on the route into the Irish dental register: Dental Council registration, Part 1, and the five-day application window.
Irish Dental Council exam dates 2027
Window open 5 days onlyVerification takes months. Have everything in hand before January.
Live application webinar. Enrolled candidates only, included.
Five days. The step candidates most often miss.
Written papers and bench test. Ten weeks after the window closes.
Dates as published by the Dental Council of Ireland — always confirm at dentalcouncil.ie.
What is the Irish Dental Council Part 1 exam?
Nine hours of written papers over two days. Plus a three-hour bench test. Both must be passed.
| # | Component | What is assessed | Where marks go missing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Written knowledge test 3 papers · 9 hours · 2 days | Three papers, three hours each, on paper: Health and Disease day one, Society day two. Clinical sciences, pathology, radiology, pharmacology, medical emergencies, ethics and law, Irish dental guidelines. | Irish-specific guidelines and medico-legal expectations never taught abroad. |
| 02 | Practical bench test 3 hours · 4–5 exercises | Three hours, four to five operative exercises: cavity and crown preparation, temporisation, instrumentation. Assessed on technique. Practice starts day one. | Time and finish quality — where confident clinicians lose marks. |
Most candidates who fail knew the dentistry. One strong component does not offset a weak one.
Am I eligible for the Irish Dental Council exam?
A free fifteen-minute call with a mentor. Four things worth checking before you spend anything.
☎Book your free call→No obligation. If now is not the right time, we will say so.
AceDent Academy is an independent education provider, not affiliated with the Dental Council of Ireland, and cannot determine, influence or guarantee registration outcomes. Eligibility decisions rest solely with the Dental Council of Ireland.
Irish Dental Council Part 1 preparation courses
Three courses. Complete Preparation bundles both and saves 34%.
| What you get | Theory Only | Bench Test Training | Complete Preparation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Written papers only — all three, with a mock. | Theory passed; you need the bench test. | First-timers sitting all of Part 1 — written and practical. |
| All three theory papers | Included | — | Included |
| Cavity & crown prep, temporisation | — | Included | Included |
| Weekly feedback on bench work | — | Included | Included |
| Three theory modules | Included | — | Included |
| SAQ & past papers with feedback | Included | — | Included |
| Live mocks, timed in real time | One live theory mock | Practical only, live and timed | Theory & practical, live and timed |
| Personalised student access | Included | — | Included |
| Live mentor sessions & support group | — | — | Included |
| Application & document guidance | — | — | Included free |
| Fee | €200 | €250 | €295 Save 34% €450 bought separately |
| Enrol | Enrol | Enrol in Complete Preparation |
One payment on the platform for any of the three — no deposits, no instalments.
Free IDC Part 1 webinar & application checklist
IDC Part 1, from someone who sat it
Led by a candidate who passed. The 2025 eligibility criteria, what to submit and when, and the mistakes that cost a sitting.
Next session: Wednesday, 2 September, 18:00 Irish time
Runs weekly ahead of the January 2027 window · Online · Free
The application checklist
Every document the Council requires, how long each takes, and where applications get returned.
Delivered instantly. No spam.
Inside your IDC Part 1 student access
Included with every course. Access for the duration of your exam, extendable after.
Progress is measured against the date you are sitting, not a generic course length, so the countdown means something.
Explainer videos, slides and reference PDFs for every technique the examiners assess.
Bench work reviewed weekly and SAQ answers returned with comments — the part a video library cannot do.
Irish Dental Council exam FAQs
Answered here. Fees and dates are set by the Council — confirm at dentalcouncil.ie.
01Who must sit the Irish Dental Council exam?
Dentists who qualified outside the EU/EEA, whose qualification is not automatically recognised in the EU, and who are seeking entry to the Irish dental register.
02What is in Irish Dental Council Part 1?
Three written papers — Health, Disease and Society — three hours each over two days, plus a three-hour bench test on four to five operative exercises. Both must be passed. Clinical stations and viva belong to Part 2.
03How much does the Part 1 exam cost?
The Council charges €1,500 first-time and €750 for a repeat, on top of application and registration fees. Budget separately for verification, translation and English language testing. Confirm at dentalcouncil.ie.
04What is the Part 1 syllabus?
Broad, and the format changed in 2025 and again in 2026. Includes but is not limited to: clinical sciences, dental pathology, radiology, pharmacology, medical emergencies, ethics and law, Irish dental guidelines, clinical decision-making and practical technique.
05What is the pass rate?
The Council does not publish component-level pass rates, and they are low. Marks are lost on Irish guidelines, medico-legal expectations and bench test technique under time — not core dental knowledge. Start early.
06When is the next exam? (2027 dates)
Last week of March 2027. Applications open the second week of January 2027 for five days only — miss it and you wait for the next sitting. Documents must be verified before it opens.
07What type of questions come in the theory exam?
Short-answer and structured written questions on paper across Health, Disease and Society — no MCQs. Plus four to five operative exercises in the bench test.
08How long does registration take?
Twelve to twenty-four months, depending on visa, verification, processing and sitting availability.
09What documents do I need?
Varies by country of qualification: verified degree certificates, transcripts, certificate of good standing, identity documents, English language evidence. Our free checklist has the full list.
10Can I work in Ireland before registering?
No — registration with the Dental Council of Ireland is required to practise.
11Is the exam hard? What do candidates say on Reddit?
Yes. The threads all say the same three things: the papers are wide rather than deep, so volume catches people out; the bench test catches good clinicians who have not worked against a clock; and nobody expects how much Irish guideline and medico-legal content is examined. Read them for reassurance — not for planning. Half confuse Part 1 with Part 2 and quote out-of-date fees.
12Which preparation course should I take?
Irish Dental Council application support
Free with Complete PreparationThe application delays more overseas dentists than the exam does. Documents returned. Verification misunderstood. Sittings missed on paperwork.
Eligibility review and a checklist mapped to your country.
Verification and certification explained; your file checked before filing.
Correspondence and resubmission support, so a query costs you nothing.
Available separately — learn more. Guidance only — AceDent Academy is independent of the Dental Council of Ireland and cannot influence registration decisions.
Who teaches the IDC Part 1 course
Qualified dentists and an admin team, on one thing: getting you through Part 1.
EU-qualified, practising, our bench test specialist. Guided candidates through the 2026 sitting. Reviews bench work weekly.
Dentists who passed IDC Part 1 recently, on the theory modules and live timed mocks. Plus admin on your documents.
How the IDC Part 1 course works
Answered before you ask.
- Format
- Study from anywhere. Self-paced modules, the bench test library, and live mentor sessions before your sitting.
- Course length & access
- From enrolment to the end of March 2027, right up to the exam. Start any time. Extendable afterwards at €50 per six months.
- How long to allow
- Four months of intensive, full-time study. Enrol later and the same volume compresses — the exam date does not move.
- If you do not pass
- Extend your access at €50 per six months and keep every module, mock and bench test video for the next sitting.
- English language
- The Council sets its own English language requirements (IELTS/OET). We flag what you need; testing is arranged separately.
- Talk to us
- Book from the button on this page, or email info@acedentacademy.com. Dublin, Ireland.
The March 2027 sitting
Applications open for five days in January. Verification takes months, so the work starts before that.
See the Part 1 courses