After 10 years in general practice, Reading dentist Charles Scola felt the need for a challenge and decided to work for the Membership of General Dental Surgery. In this article, the first of three, he describes the initial planning he undertook. Subsequent articles will cover the preparations involved and sitting the exam itself, which he did at the Royal College of Surgeons of England. While the author makes reference to its particular regulations, the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and the Royal College of Physicians &Surgeons of Glasgow also offer this exam under different formats. © 1990 Nature Publishing Group. All rights reserved.