Apply for a licence to practise dentistry with a professional qualification 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 apply for the license to practice medicine at the competent authority: You can submit the application with the documents to the competent authority or send it by post. Do not send 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 started your vocational training after the EU/EEA accession of your country of training.
• 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 this, you must present 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 prove your professional experience. You must have worked as a dentist in your country of origin for 3 consecutive years in the last 5 years before submitting your application. This must be confirmed by the competent authority of your country of origin.

Examination of equivalence

• If you cannot provide a certificate of conformity or do not have enough professional experience, then your education must 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 test

If your professional qualification is equivalent:

• Then your foreign professional qualification will be recognized.
• 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 license to practice 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 experience, other knowledge or skills (lifelong learning).
• You must prove that you have 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 be that the essential differences cannot be compensated for by this knowledge.

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

Suitability test

• If your professional qualification is not equivalent and you cannot compensate for the differences, you can take an aptitude test.
• The aptitude test checks whether you also have the knowledge and skills required to practise as a dentist in those 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 shall decide which stage of the examination is to be taken or which sections of the examination are to be taken.
• If you pass the aptitude test and meet all other requirements, you will receive a license to practice 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 for working as a dentist and have no criminal record.
• Health suitability: You can work as a dentist mentally and physically.
• You have German language skills at the required language 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 provide information on the documents you need to submit. Important documents are generally:

• Proof of identity (ID card or passport)
• Marriage certificate (if your name has changed due to marriage)
• Curriculum vitae
• Proof of your professional qualification (e.g. certificates, professional certificate)
• Proof of content and duration of your education (e.g. Diploma Supplement, Transcript of Records)
• Proof of your relevant professional experience as a dentist (e.g. job references)
• Information as to 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, job applications, invitations to 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 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 legally in the profession for at least 3 years during the last 5 years prior to the issuance of the certificate.

You usually hand in 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 fitness: 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 license to practice medicine is general German language skills at level B2. You can also submit the required proof of language proficiency during the licensing procedure. In addition, you must take a medical language test at level C1 during the licensing procedure.

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

If your documents are not available 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 indications:

Freedom to provide services

Would you like to offer services only sometimes and for a short time in Germany? Then most of the time you don't need the state permit. You must meet these requirements:

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

The competent authority will inform you.

Notice of equivalence

In the licensing procedure, the equivalence of your training (recognition procedure) can also be checked. You can apply for a separate notification for the result of the examination.

Procedure for ethnic German repatriates

As a late repatriate, you can go through the recognition procedure either according to the laws mentioned here or according to the Federal Expellees Act. You can decide for yourself. The competent authority will advise you on which procedure is right for you.
 

Federal Ministry of Health (BMG)

05.10.2022

Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training

The text was automatically translated based on the German content.