ADC Practical Exam Dates 2027: How to Secure a Place, Choose Your Dates or Join the Waitlist
Updated 4 November 2026
The ADC practical examination dates for 2027 are confirmed, but the calendar is only half the story. You must first apply for an examination place and then, in a separate process, select your preferred two-day session. Both steps are very competitive: places are limited, and candidates report it's harder to secure a spot than for the written exam.
Here are the dates, the ADC's official booking rules, and practical tips to help you prepare.
2027 ADC practical exam schedule. Period 1 applications and date selection are closed; its waitlist is active. The infographic's Period 2 and 3 waitlist dates are expected dates based on application closing dates, not separately confirmed opening times. Always check the ADC for updates.
Next application window: 10–19 February 2027 for Period 2 (May–August examinations). Period 3 applications run 16–25 June 2027. The detailed Stage 1 and Stage 2 allocations for those periods have not yet been published.
The difference between stages and steps
The ADC uses Stage 1 and Stage 2 for who gets to apply when, and two separate steps for what you need to do.
For 2027 Period 1, Stage 1 (14–18 October 2026) gave earlier access to candidates with expiring documents:
- candidates whose initial assessment would expire during the January–May examination period
- and/or whose written examination result would expire before 31 May 2027.
Stage 2 (19–23 October 2026) was for other eligible candidates. The ADC expressly said Stage 2 applications were first-come, first-served and could close early if places filled. Candidates recommend registering as soon as the stage is open.
These were the Period 1 rules, not a confirmed Stage 1/Stage 2 schedule for the remaining 2027 periods. The ADC emails eligible candidates about their allocated stage.
Step 1: Apply for a practical examination place
The ADC will send you an eligibility email for the stage and period if the following conditions are met:
-
You have a valid initial assessment that will remain valid until your practical examination date.
-
You have passed the written examination, and your result will remain valid until your practical examination date.
-
You have not sat the practical examination in the previous examination period.
When your application stage opens, an application link appears in your ADC Connect account.
Stage 2 is very competitive
Candidates report the "Apply" link in your ADC Connect account becoming available around 12:00 pm Melbourne time of the opening day of the application period, but this is not a guaranteed ADC opening time. Our recommendation is to be ready at 11:00 am Melbourne time zone.
- Have a computer on a fast internet connection and a second device as backup.
- Have your credit card ready. The current examination fee is A$4,775. Check available funds, your payment limit and whether your bank permits Australian online transactions. Visa or Mastercard are accepted, both Debit and Credit cards. Have a backup card if possible. You can also forward the payment details page to somebody else to pay on your behalf.
- Keep a way to capture full-desktop screenshots showing the date and clock as evidence if you experience problems.
Refresh before the link appears — not after entering the process
Starting 11:00am, log into ADC Connect on both devices. refresh the ADC Connect dashboard to watch for the link. Candidates report unexpected logouts from ADC Connect during refresh. Since the login process takes precious time, you can continue on your second device.
Candidate-reported experience: Some candidates have seen the application link disappear after a certain number of applicants have clicked through, even while others are still completing the form. Candidates interpret this as the available capacity being taken up by applications in progress. The ADC has not publicly confirmed that this is how its reservation or queue system works.
Candidates also report very slow page loads, random logouts and long waits after clicking Next. Be patient!
Once you've clicked the application link, don't refresh anymore, even if the website is very slow. Candidates report losing their queue position after refreshing and having to start again. We could not verify that as a published ADC technical rule, so follow any instructions displayed by the system. Click buttons once and allow slow pages to finish loading.
Take a timestamped screenshot after each page. Screenshots can document your experience in case of a dispute, but they do not guarantee a place or resolve a dispute in your favour.
Complete the application wizard
Follow the application process through to the payment form.
Opening the link or starting the form does not mean you have secured a place. The ADC confirms receipt once payment has been processed, by email and in ADC Connect.
Save that confirmation and your receipt. If payment fails or the system logs you out, don't assume your application went through: check its status before trying again.
The ADC expressly allows payments through 3rd-parties. Just forward the link of the payment page to another person. They can pay on your behalf without needing any additional information. Payment must be received before the end of the application period.
Once paid, ADC Connect will reflect your new status.
For more information on the registration process, the ADC also has a video with a full walkthrough.
Step 2: Book your preferred practical examination session
This is a second booking event, with its own date-selection window. It is not completed when you pay for the application.
After a successful application, the ADC emails you an invitation to select a preferred two-day session in ADC Connect. The exact date-selection windows for all three periods are shown in the infographic above.
The examination has a maximum of 28 candidates per two-day session. The ADC has not published the total number of available places for each 2027 period.
Prepare several dates, not just one
Treat date-selection opening day seriously. Follow a similar procedure as step 1. Candidates also report links appearing around noon Melbourne time, alongside slow loading. Be logged in by 11:00 am, have preferred dates ready and retain a backup device. Refresh the dashboard periodically before the "Select" link appears.
Once you enter the booking process, avoid refreshing. Have two or three acceptable alternative sessions. Candidates report that later sessions in an examination period can be especially popular because they allow more preparation time; this is anecdotal, and the ADC does not publish booking-demand statistics by date.
If you're travelling from overseas, allow time for your visa application, flights and accommodation. You may also want to coordinate your preferred dates with any academy's technical or clinical skills refresher course. The latest available date may not be the most practical one for you.
A preferred date is not a confirmed booking
After you submit your choice, the ADC reviews allocations. It does not guarantee your preferred dates. The ADC says it generally emails confirmed dates within a week after date selection closes and provides the detailed examination schedule about four weeks before your examination. Once confirmed, ADC Connect panel will reflect your new status.
You must be available to sit at any time within your assigned examination period. Avoid non-refundable travel bookings until your dates are confirmed.
For more information on the booking process, the ADC also has a video with a full walkthrough.
The ADC practical exam waitlist
Each examination period has a waitlist. If you didn't get a spot during step 1, a place may become available when another candidate withdraws, but the ADC says offers are usually made at short notice.
Candidates have reported that you may also enter the waitlist if written exam is expiring but you are not eligible because you sat the practical exam the previous period.
The Period 1 waitlist is currently active. For Periods 2 and 3, expect waitlist arrangements after the relevant application periods, but check the ADC's announcements for the actual activation details. The dates in our infographic should not be treated as guaranteed opening times.
What happens if you're offered a waitlist place?
The ADC prioritises eligible candidates who did not sit in the previous examination period. You must have valid initial assessment and written results, and you cannot already hold a current practical booking or have a result or review/appeal pending.
You do not have to accept an offer. But if you do, you must be able to attend on the offered dates, even at short notice. The ADC says no special consideration is given simply because you accepted a late place.
How long do you have to accept and pay? The ADC has not published a standard deadline that applies to every offer. Follow the deadline in the offer email. Candidates report you may only have days to pay, and you won't know when the spot is until you have paid. The spot can be any time, but waitlist spots are often early in the period.
If you're overseas, check whether you can realistically obtain a visa and reach Melbourne before accepting.
Read the ADC's Period 1 announcement and access the waitlist.
What if you miss out?
You can apply in a later period if you remain eligible. But candidates cannot sit practical examinations in consecutive periods, so accepting a late waitlist place may affect when you can attempt the exam again.
The clock is ticking after you passed your written exam. The practical exam is harder than the written exam, so plan to sit it multiple times. For more on the rules, read How Many Times Can You Sit the ADC Practical Exam?.
Prepare for the exam while you wait
Securing an exam place is only the first challenge. The next is being ready when your exam date arrives. While the technical tasks and skilled OSCE stations are well defined, OSCE Communication is the dark horse. ADCReady lets you practise realistic OSCE-style conversations, as often as you need, without having to find a study partner. After every session, you receive detailed, structured feedback showing what you did well, what you missed and where you need to improve.
Don't just study what to say. Practise saying it.
Official sources:
ADC practical examination calendar and booking steps
ADC 2027 Period 1 stage rules and waitlist
ADC practical examination FAQ ADC practical examination handbook
ADCReady is an independent preparation platform, not affiliated with or endorsed by the Australian Dental Council. Candidate-reported experiences are practical tips, not official ADC instructions or guarantees. Always confirm dates and eligibility directly with the ADC.