Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery — 2026 Application Guide
Complete guide to applying for Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery in the 2026 recruitment cycle. This page covers eligibility requirements, self-assessment scoring criteria, portfolio sections, key dates, required forms, and evidence guidance — building on Core Surgical Training.
Oriel route name: Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery · Route family: surgery
Interview preparation guide for Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery →Medically reviewed by MedNext Clinical Team. Last reviewed 27 April 2026. See our editorial policy and correction policy.
About Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery
Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery is a surgery programme entering at higher specialty training at ST3 level, following core training. Selection uses portfolio-scored selection. The full training pathway typically takes 8-10 years total.
Entry Level
ST3
Training Duration
8-10 years total (2yr foundation + 2-3yr core + 4-5yr higher specialty)
Selection Method
Portfolio Scored
Training Pathway
Official Source Documents
The scoring criteria, eligibility requirements, and self-assessment guidance on this page are derived from the following official documents. Always refer to the latest published version before your application.
Published by: NHS England Medical Hub
View original documentKey Dates & Deadlines
Important dates for the Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery 2026 recruitment cycle. Check the official recruitment timeline for the most up-to-date information, as dates may change.
Eligibility Requirements
You must meet all essential eligibility criteria to be considered for Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery. These are assessed at the application stage. Failure to meet any essential requirement will result in your application being rejected.
You must: Hold a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (BMBS, MBBS) degree or other equivalent medical qualification. Hold full registration with the General Dental Council (GDC), **or** a fully registerable dental qualification by the advertised post start date.
You must: Be eligible to work in the UK. Hold full registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) at the time of application, **and** hold a current licence to practise on the date your post commences.
Evidence hint: GMC registration details or licence evidence.
You must be able to provide complete details of your employment history, including any gaps.
You must complete all sections of the application form fully and truthfully, in accordance with written guidelines. You must disclose in your application if you are subject to any ongoing fitness to practise proceedings or are subject to any fitness to practise conditions.
You must have evidence of achievement of core surgical competences, via one of the following three methods: Current employment in a UK Core Surgical Training programme which leads to successful completion of the programme by the advertised post start date for the vacancy; **or** Successful completion of a UK Core Surgical Training programme, evidenced by a satisfactory ARCP outcome. This must be submitted with your application; **or**
If you completed Foundation training before August 2012, you must have at least **24 months’ medical training (12 months Foundation and 12 months core training, or equivalent)** by the advertised post start date for the vacancy.
You must have been awarded Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) by examination by the ‘initial offers released by’ date for the round.
Evidence hint: Membership exam pass evidence or certificate.
Entry Criteria — Person Specification
The following entry criteria are extracted from the official 2026 person specification for Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery. You must meet all essential criteria at the point specified. Failure to meet any essential criterion will result in your application being rejected.
Qualifications
- You must:
- Hold a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (BMBS, MBBS) degree or other equivalent medical qualification.
- Hold full registration with the General Dental Council (GDC), or a fully registerable dental qualification by the advertised post start date.
Registration & right to work
- You must:
- Be eligible to work in the UK.
- Hold full registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) at the time of application, and hold a current licence to practise on the date your post commences.
- Meet the standards set out in Good Medical Practice, and not be subject to fitness to practise conditions which would prevent you taking up the post or performing fully within it.
- You must not
- Hold, nor be eligible to hold, a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) or Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR) for this specialty, nor
- Already be eligible for the specialist register for this specialty.
Career history
- You must be able to provide complete details of your employment history, including any gaps.
Disclosure
- You must complete all sections of the application form fully and truthfully, in accordance with written guidelines.
- You must disclose in your application if you are subject to any ongoing fitness to practise proceedings or are subject to any fitness to practise conditions.
- If you are currently in specialty training and are applying to continue training in the same specialty in another region, you must obtain a Support for Application to another region form signed by the Training Programme Director/Head of School of your current Specialty Training Programme. This must confirm satisfactory progress and be submitted with your application.
- If you have previously resigned, or been removed from, a training programme in any specialty, you must obtain a Support for Reapplication to Specialty Training form signed by the Training Programme Director/Head of School and Postgraduate Dean from the region you previously undertook training in. This must be submitted with your application.
Capability/Competences and Experience for ST3 entry
- You must have evidence of achievement of core surgical competences, via one of the following three methods:
- Current employment in a UK Core Surgical Training programme which leads to successful completion of the programme by the advertised post start date for the vacancy; or
- Successful completion of a UK Core Surgical Training programme, evidenced by a satisfactory ARCP outcome. This must be submitted with your application; or
- A completed Alternative Certificate of Eligibility to Enter Higher Surgical Training. This must be submitted by post start date.
- If you completed Foundation training before August 2012, you must have at least 24 months’ medical training (12 months Foundation and 12 months core training, or equivalent) by the advertised post start date for the vacancy.
- If you completed Foundation training after August 2012, you must have at least 36 months’ medical training (24 months at Foundation level and 12 months core training, or equivalent) by the advertised post start date for the vacancy.
- If you wish to be considered for Locum Appointment for Training posts (where available) you must have no more than 24 months experience in LAT posts in this specialty by the advertised post start date for the vacancy.
PROFESSIONAL EXAMInATIONS
- You must have been awarded Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) by examination by the ‘initial offers released by’ date for the round.
Selection Criteria — Person Specification
Shortlisted candidates are assessed against these selection criteria. Essential criteria are requirements; desirable criteria can strengthen your application. Understanding both columns helps you target your evidence and interview preparation.
Eligibility
- You meet all criteria specified in the Eligibility to Apply section above.
Clinical knowledge
- Interest in, and understanding of, the training programme.
Workplace skills
- Ability to work in multi-professional teams and supervise colleagues.
- Ability to lead, make decisions, organise and motivate other team members.
- Ability to manage/prioritise own and others’ time effectively.
- Ability to work safely under pressure and deliver good clinical care in the face of uncertainty.
- Ability to monitor developing situations and anticipate issues.
- Good basic IT skills, including Microsoft Office, email, and ability to learn new systems.
Academic knowledge
- Understanding of research, including awareness of ethical issues.
- Understanding of the basic principles of audit, clinical risk management, evidence-based practice, patient safety, and clinical quality improvement initiatives.
- Knowledge of evidence-informed practice.
Personal skills
- Commitment to personal and professional development.
- Ability to work on own initiative, demonstrating curiosity.
- Strong attention to detail, preparation and planning.
- Ability to communicate messages effectively to a range of audiences.
- Ability to negotiate and build positive professional relationships.
- Strong problem-solving skills, with a scientific approach to problem solving.
Values
- Understands, respects and demonstrates the values of the NHS
Knowledge and experience
- Understanding of NHS management and resources.
- Experience of management.
- Experience of research.
- Experience of audit and quality improvement.
- Experience of teaching.
Specialty: Commitment to specialty
Essential
- Shows realistic insight into Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and the personal demands of a commitment to surgery.
- Shows critical and enquiring approach to knowledge acquisition, commitment to self-directed learning and a reflective/analytical approach to practice.
Desirable
- Achievements relevant to Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, including a portfolio demonstrating evidence of learning and professional development in OMFS.
Specialty: Qualifications
Essential
Desirable
- BA, MSc (not including intercalated BSc or ‘Honorary’ MA).
- Successful Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) by the application closing date.
Self-Assessment & Scoring
Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery uses a portfolio-scored selection process. Applicants complete a self-assessment based on official scoring criteria, then upload supporting evidence. Each question has its own point scale — some worth up to 6 points. Understanding the full marking scheme is essential to maximising your score.
Scoring Sections
The self-assessment is structured across 6 sections with 0 scored questions. Each question has variable points — refer to the official self-assessment guidance for exact marking tiers.
Eligibility
You meet all criteria specified in the Eligibility to Apply section above.
Clinical knowledge
Interest in, and understanding of, the training programme.
Workplace skills
Ability to work in multi-professional teams and supervise colleagues. Ability to lead, make decisions, organise and motivate other team members.
Academic knowledge
Understanding of research, including awareness of ethical issues. Understanding of the basic principles of audit, clinical risk management, evidence-based practice, patient safety, and clinical quality improvement initiatives.
Personal skills
Commitment to personal and professional development. Ability to work on own initiative, demonstrating curiosity.
Values
Understands, respects and demonstrates the values of the NHS
Interview Format
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview. Below is the expected interview structure for Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery. Prepare for each station by reviewing the relevant areas of your portfolio and clinical experience.
Panel interview
Format: Selection panel
Portfolio, commitment, and clinical readiness discussion.
Evidence Packaging & Export
Understanding how to package and present your evidence is just as important as having the evidence itself. Poorly organised submissions can result in lost marks even when the underlying evidence is strong.
Export Mode
section pdf
Each scored section PDF requires its own file
File Size Limit
10 MB per file
Compress images and merge PDFs to stay under the limit
Title Page
Required
Index Page
Not required
Ordering guidance: Group evidence by section and keep the most probative material first.
Evidence Validation Checklist
Before submitting your application, check your evidence against these validation rules. Items marked as errors will block your submission; warnings indicate areas that may cost marks.
Map evidence to a route target
Evidence should be assigned to a section or question before export so the pack builder can assemble the right output.
Check route-specific forms
The route requires supporting forms or certificates in addition to the core evidence uploads.
Evidence Guidelines
General guidance for evidence preparation and organisation for your Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery application.
- Keep uploads mapped to the route targets shown on this dashboard rather than storing undifferentiated files.
Frequently Asked Questions
What qualifications do I need for Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery?
How competitive is Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery?
What is the training pathway for Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery?
When does Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery 2026 recruitment open?
Related Specialties
Compare adjacent specialties that share a recruitment family, training pathway, or portfolio structure.
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