Empowering The Next Generation of Dental Professionals
What is LDS Part 3?
LDS Part 3 is the final part of the Licence in Dental Surgery, run by the Royal College of Surgeons of England. It is a face-to-face practical exam sat over a single day: a 180-minute operative assessment on a dental manikin that tests your practical clinical dental skills. To sit Part 3 you must have passed Parts 1 and 2 within the past five years.
From the 2026 examinations the LDS assesses the GDC Safe Practitioner Framework — candidates should be familiar with the syllabus.
What it assesses
Part 3 focuses on operative dentistry on a manikin, carried out to a safe clinical standard. Examiners look at your operative technique and clinical judgement alongside safe practice, including:
- Tooth preparation and restoration technique.
- Operating position, ergonomics and instrument handling.
- Health, safety and infection-control behaviours.
- Clinical judgement and attention to detail under timed conditions.
How to prepare
- Get repeated, supervised hands-on time on a manikin under exam-like timing.
- Refine your preparation designs and restoration finish to a consistent standard.
- Make good ergonomics and infection control second nature.
How Visage Dental Academy helps
Our hands-on Academy gives you manikin practice that mirrors exam conditions and ergonomics, with feedback from experienced tutors — the same preparation that supports candidates for the ORE Part 2 dental manikin assessment.
At a glance: 1 day · 180-minute operative manikin assessment · up to 3 attempts (re-sit up to twice) · results ~4 weeks.
Fees & dates (RCS England): £1,525 for sittings up to summer 2026, rising to £1,736 from the October 2026 sitting. Booking via Eventbrite. Confirm on the RCS England LDS Part 3 page.