About MFDS Part 1 exam
About MFDS
Part 1 exam
What is the MFDS Part 1 exam?
The Part 1 exam is a 3-hour written paper with 150 single best answer (SBA) questions. This will assess the knowledge gained during your undergraduate dental training and test your ability to apply it across a wide range of clinical situations. Every SBA question is a clinical scenario, followed by a question and 5 possible answers.
How is the MFDS Part 1 exam conducted?
MFDS Part 1 examinations will now be delivered remotely. This means that the examination is open to all those eligible and candidates will be able to sit the examination online from their own homes.
In order to sit the exam remotely candidates will need a computer or laptop with camera, mobile telephone and internet connectivity. Details of equipment requirements, and an overview of how online delivery will work, can be found in the Online invigilation candidate quick guide provided by our online delivery platform partner, Surpass.
*IMPORTANT: It is imperative that all candidates read and adhere to the equipment and minimum system requirements. Failure to do so may result in fluctuations in internet connectivity which can affect the monitoring videos required for invigilation. Candidates should note that RCS England are unable to provide a result to any candidate who is not invigilated during their exam.
The format and syllabus of each examination will remain the same.
During the MFDS Part 1 examination you will be asked to respond to 150 single best answer out of 5 multiple choice style questions.
You can test your knowledge by with example questions on the MFDS Part 1 sample questions.
The MFDS exam will test your understanding of topics you will have studied at dental school and which you may encounter during your first two years after graduation. Although this will consolidate the knowledge gained during your final years the real challenge comes in your ability to apply it across a wide range of clinical situations. This means that whilst some of the multiple-choice questions will require direct recall of knowledge, others will be based around a clinical vignette and require you to select the best out of 5 plausible options. Before entering the exam you should be familiar with the MFDS candidate guidance.
MFDS Part 1 exam – frequently asked questions
Part 1 MFDS as soon as possible after BDS, as much of the knowledge gained at BDS will be relevant to Part I MFDS
No, the MFDS is a desirable requirement, not an essential requirement, however you will be competing against other candidates who will have obtained the MFDS.
The purpose of the MFDS examination is to demonstrate that successful candidates possess the necessary competencies for a specialist dental career in either primary or secondary care following the completion of their foundation training curriculum.
As with the Membership of the Joint Dental Faculties (MJDF) examination which it replaces, and the equivalent qualification offered by other surgical Royal Colleges, the MFDS does not represent a formal criterion for entry into specialist training. The General Dental Council do not set a formal examination requirement for this purpose, and selection is likely to be on the basis of a range of criteria. Possession of a postgraduate qualification such as the MFDS will play a part in demonstrating a candidate’s suitability for specialist training, but is not an absolute requirement.
Yes. The MFDS will be the starting point for dentists who wish to develop their careers in a number of directions. All dentists should consider the MFDS as a valuable demonstration of having achieved the postgraduate competencies set out in the foundation training curriculum. The qualification also provides you with membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery at RCS Eng and all of the benefits this entails.
The publication Dental Foundation Training Curriculum is the basis for the MFDS assessment. The curriculum can be downloaded from the COPDEND website. The syllabus, identifying the curricular content covered in the examination, can be found on the RCS Eng website.
The Part 1 examination consists of one paper, based on the foundation training curriculum, assessing knowledge and applied knowledge. This includes 150 Single Best Answer (SBA) questions within a single three-hour paper. The questions carry equal marks. The examination is not negatively marked and there are no trick questions.
Yes. It is planned that candidates will be able to sit the MFDS examination (both Part 1 and Part 2) at each of the centres at which the MJDF was offered.
A full list of examination centres will be published on the MFDS page of the RCS Eng website once bookings are opened.
The College Examinations Directorate is not involved in administering visas and is therefore unable to advise on this. Candidates are responsible for ensuring that they are permitted to be in the UK to take the exam that they are booked onto. For information on visas and entry to the UK, please contact UK Visas and Immigration.
If you pay for an exam and then are unable to obtain a visa, you will not be refunded your fees. It is your responsibility to ensure that you can obtain a visa before you pay for an exam.
To avoid the possibility of original documents being mislaid by postal services, it is recommended that all candidates supply only certified copies of their supporting documentation.
A correctly certified photocopy requires a consultant’s signature and the appropriate hospital stamp. Please note that all hospital stamps should be in English or have an official translation provided.
If you choose to send original documents with your application form, we strongly recommend that you use recorded or special delivery (UK only) or international signed for (if overseas). All original documents will be returned to you using these methods to ensure their safe return.
If you have a question about the MFDS examination itself you should contact the College’s Exams team by phone on 020 7405 3474 (Option 3) or by email at MFDSExam@rcseng.ac.uk.
If you are an existing MJDF member and have questions about your membership then you should contact the College’s Membership team by phone on 020 7405 3474 (Option 1) or by email at Membership@rcseng.ac.uk.