About MFDS Part 2 exam
About MFDS
Part 2 exam
What is the MFDS Part 2 exam?
The Part 2 examination is a two-and-a-half hour objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) circuit, compromising 14 stations designed to assess clinical competence in the delivery of dental healthcare by a clinician with a minimum of 2 years of post-qualification training and experience.
Each station will 10 minutes long, and there will usually be an observer and an actor, who will simulate types of patients and clinical consultation scenarios. Prior to each OSCE you will be provided with “patient notes” which may consist of photographs and radiographs and clinical information.
How is the MFDS Part 2 exam conducted?
The circuit will assess communication skills, clinical skills and clinical reasoning skills. Candidates will be required to attain a single minimum standard for the circuit as a whole in order to pass the exam.
The MFDS Part 2 exam tests candidates’ communication skills, clinical competence and clinical reasoning and may be taken at any point after completion of 12 months in clinical dentistry. It consists of a structured professional skills assessment, compromising 14 stations within a single circuit. Following the successful completion of Part 1 candidates will normally be allowed a maximum of five years in which to complete Part 2.
Candidates who have completed MJDF or MFDS Part 1 with The Royal College of Surgeons of England will be eligble for a 10% discount on our UK Part 2 exam which will be applied automatically upon application.
Life after MFDS – support throughout your career
Life after MFDS –
support throughout your career
The MFDS is just one step along your career path. Where you go next is up to you, but expert support after passing the examination is available no matter where you choose to work.
Faculty Membership
As for all Royal College membership qualifications, the MFDS requires you to maintain membership of the awarding Royal College in order to be able to use the MDFS post-nominals. In this case you would join The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS Eng).
The Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS) is a professional body committed to enabling oral health care professionals to provide patients with the highest possible standards of practice and care. The FDS offers you the support you need irrespective of whether you have a particular interest in one of the dental specialties; and if you do intend to specialise, the FDS can offer continued expert support in your chosen field.
MFDS Part 2 exam – frequently asked questions
MFDS Part 2 exam –
frequently asked questions
MJDF Part 2 examinations have now ceased. Anyone who has passed the MJDF Part 1 is eligible to sit the MFDS Part 2 examination with RCS Eng. The only restriction is that the MFDS Part 2 examination must be taken within five years of passing the MJDF Part 1. Candidates who have passed MFDS Part 1 examinations with other surgical Royal Colleges, such as the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCS Ed) and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (RCPSG), are also eligible to sit the MFDS Part 2 examination with RCS Eng within five years. Equally, anyone who passes the MFDS Part 1 with RCS Eng will be eligible to sit the MFDS Part 2 offered by RCS Ed and RCPSG.
Yes. Those candidates eligible to sit the MJDF Part 2 are also eligible to sit the MFDS Part 2, providing they are within the five-year “currency period” after passing the MJDF Part 1.
You have 5 years after the completion of Part One
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.
Candidates will receive their certificates and may use the MFDS post-nominal letters once they have paid for membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery. The annual membership fee entitles candidates to use the post-nominal letters after their name. The certificate is evidence of this membership.
To attend the Diplomates Day ceremony and subsequently receive the certificate, candidates need to have paid their membership fee first. To receive their certificate in the post, candidates also need to have paid their membership fee. This rule applies across the board since use of post-nominal letters and the wording of the certificate is actively tied to the membership.
The MFDS is a membership qualification and the expectation is that candidates are taking the exam in order to become a member. The certificate alone implies that its owner is a member of the Faculty of Dental Surgery.
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.
Yes. Those candidates eligible to sit the MJDF Part 2 are also eligible to sit the MFDS Part 2, providing they are within the five-year “currency period” after passing the MJDF Part 1.