Apply for a licence to practise dentistry with professional qualifications from the EU/EEA/Switzerland

If you would like to work as a dentist, there are various recognition processes depending on the accession of your country of training to the EU/EEA and your professional qualification.

• First, however, you must apply for a licence to practise medicine at the competent authority: you can submit the application with the documents to the competent authority or send it by post. Do not ship originals. Sometimes you can also send the application electronically. The competent authority will inform you.
• The competent authority will then check whether your training corresponds to the German training and whether all other requirements are met.

Automatic recognition

• As a rule, the automatic recognition procedure applies. This applies if you have started your vocational training after the accession of your country of training to the EU/EEA.
• This means that if you also meet all other requirements, your professional qualification will be recognised without an individual equivalence test.

Certificate

• Vocational training that you started before the EU/EEA accession of your country of training (or that does not correspond to the legal designations) can also be automatically recognised.
• To do so, you must submit a certificate from the competent authority of your country of training. This must prove that your professional qualification meets the minimum standards of the EU ("certificate of conformity").
• If your professional qualification does not meet the minimum standards, you will need to provide proof of your professional experience. You must have worked as a dentist in your country of origin for 3 years without interruption in the last 5 years prior to the application. This must be confirmed by the competent authority of your country of origin.

Equivalence test

• If you are unable to provide a certificate of conformity or do not have enough professional experience, your training will need to be reviewed individually.
• The competent authority compares your professional qualification from abroad with the German professional qualification.
• The competent authority will check whether your professional qualification is equivalent. The professional qualification is equivalent if there are no significant differences between your foreign professional qualification and the German professional qualification.

Possible results of the exam

If your professional qualification is equivalent:

• Then your foreign professional qualification will be recognised.
• The authority can confirm the result to you in writing.
• You still have to meet the other requirements and prove your language skills.
• Then you will be granted a licence to practise dentistry.

If there are significant differences between your professional qualification and the German professional qualification:

• Then you may be able to compensate for the differences through your professional practice, other knowledge or skills (lifelong learning).
• You must provide proof of professional experience. Knowledge and skills must be certified by an authority of the state in which you acquired the knowledge or skills.

However, it may not be possible to compensate for the essential differences by this knowledge.

• Then the competent authority will tell you the main differences and why you cannot compensate for the significant differences through your professional practice. The decision from the competent authority also states the level of your training and the level required in Germany.
• You are then not allowed to work as a dentist in Germany.

Suitability test

• If your professional qualification is not equivalent and you cannot make up for the differences, you can take an aptitude test.
• The aptitude test examines whether you have the knowledge and skills required to practise your profession as a dentist in the areas in which significant differences have previously been identified.
• The aptitude test can consist of a written, an oral and a practical section.
• On the basis of the equivalence test, the competent authority decides which examination section is to be taken or which examination sections are to be taken.
• If you pass the aptitude test and meet all other requirements, you will be granted a licence to practise dentistry.

• You have a professional qualification as a dentist from the EU, EEA or Switzerland.
• You want to work as a dentist in Germany.
• Personal suitability: You are reliable to work as a dentist and have no criminal record.
• Health suitability: You can work mentally and physically as a dentist.
• You have German language skills at the required level. As a rule, these are general language skills at level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and technical language skills at level C1.

The competent authority will inform you which documents you need to submit. Important documents are in general:

• Proof of identity (ID card or passport)
• Marriage certificate (if your name has changed as a result of marriage)
• Curriculum vitae
• Proof of your professional qualification (e.g. certificates, professional certificate)
• Proof of the content and duration of your training (e.g. Diploma Supplement, Transcript of Records)
• Proof of your relevant professional experience as a dentist (e.g. job references)
• Information on whether you have already applied for a licence to practise medicine in Germany
• You don't live or work in Germany yet? Then you may have to prove that you want to work as a dentist in Germany. Evidence includes, for example, applications for a job, invitations to job interviews or a personal statement.

You only need to submit the following documents if your professional qualification was completed before a certain date (cut-off date). The competent authority will inform you:

• Certificate
  If there is no certificate of conformity: proof of the content and duration of your training (e.g. list of subjects and grades, study book, diploma supplement, transcript of records)
• Certificate: You must have worked continuously and lawfully in the profession for at least 3 years during the last 5 years prior to the issuance of the certificate.

You will usually submit these documents later. The competent authority will inform you when you should hand in the documents:

• Proof of your personal suitability: extract from the criminal record or certificate of good conduct from your country of origin. The proof must be no more than 3 months old at the time of application.
• Proof of your health suitability: Medical certificate. The proof must be no more than 3 months old at the time of application.
• Proof of your German language skills: Language certificate.
  The prerequisite for the licence to practise medicine is general German language skills at level B2. You can also submit the required proof of language proficiency during the approbation procedure. In addition, you must take a medical language test at level C1 during the approbation process.

The competent authority will inform you which documents you need to submit as a simple copy, as a certified copy or in the original.

If your documents are not in German, you must submit German translations of your documents. Translations must be carried out by translators who are publicly appointed or authorised.

There is no deadline.

There are the following tips:

Freedom to provide services

Do you only want to offer services in Germany sometimes and for a short time? In this case, you usually do not need the state permit. You must meet these requirements:

• You must be established in another country of the EU, the EEA or Switzerland.
• You will need to prove your professional qualification.
• You must report your activity in writing to the competent authority.

The competent authority will inform you.

Certificate of equivalence

In the approbation procedure, the equivalence of your education can also be checked (recognition procedure). You can apply for a separate decision for the result of the examination.

Procedure for ethnic German repatriates

As a late repatriate, you can either go through the recognition procedure in accordance with the laws mentioned here or in accordance with the Federal Expellees Act. This is up to you. The competent authority will advise you on which procedure is right for you.
 

Federal Ministry of Health (BMG)

Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training

The text was automatically translated based on the German content.