Zahnarztbesteck auf Ablage

Dentists - Education abroad

Dentists from third countries, EU, EEC and Switzerland

Licence to practice (Approbation)
Are you planning to work permanently and without restrictions as a dentist in Germany after studying dentistry abroad? Then you will need a special professional licence: the Approbation.

Professional licence (Berufserlaubnis)
It is also possible to apply for a professional licence to work as a dentist on a temporary and limited basis. However, this licence is only valid for a period of 2 years and is limited to work under supervision (non-self-employed and non-managerial work).

In Baden-Württemberg, the licence to practice as well as the professional licence must be applied for at the Stuttgart Regional Council (Regierungspräsidium Stuttgart).

Do you need more information?

You can find more on this topic in our

FAQs Academic healthcare professions (in german)

 

 

The language certificates must be provided by every applicant, irrespective of whether the dental training is in an EU country, an EEC country or a third country.
Language skills in German must initially be demonstrated at level B2 and, in the course of the procedure, specialist language skills in medicine based on level C1 (by means of a language test at the Medical Association).
No academic degrees (e.g. doctorate, bachelor, master, diploma) are entered on the licence to practise medicine, as academic degrees are not part of the name.
We ask for your understanding that no information on the status of a recognition procedure can be given to outside persons without a corresponding power of attorney.

 

 

In the case of dental training from Romania, the diploma must be submitted (certified copy) for automatic recognition according to Directive 2005/36/EC. The degree certificate issued by the universities is not sufficient for the granting of the German licence to practise dentistry.

A licence to practise dentistry on a permanent basis is required. Please submit the documents according to the application by post.

 

 

For the granting of the licence to practise dentistry, the Dentistry Act (ZHG) provides for the equivalence check of the dental studies completed abroad with the current German dental studies.

Approbation as a dentist is to be granted if the other requirements, for example, fully completed dental training, health suitability, absence of criminal convictions, sufficient proof of German language skills, etc., are met and proof of an equivalent (third-country) dental degree/level of knowledge is also provided.
Please note that a review of the content of the documents sent can only take place if the local jurisdiction of the Regional Council of Stuttgart is given. This means that there must be a prima facie case that the dental profession is to be practised in Baden-Württemberg.
Please note that applicants who have previously applied for a licence to practise dentistry in another federal state or who are/were resident in another federal state must prove by means of a concrete job promise (subject to the granting of the licence to practise dentistry) that the dental profession will be practised in Baden-Württemberg after obtaining the licence to practise dentistry.

Important Note

As a rule, the diploma and the professional licence must be provided with a Hague Apostille or submitted legalised by the German Embassy in the country of training.


Information on this

https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/visa-service/konsularisches 

All other documents to be submitted must be officially certified copies (of the original).


If you think that you can already prove an equivalent level of knowledge and therefore wish to apply for an expert opinion, please submit further documents. The expert opinion is subject to a fee. While the expert opinion is being processed, you can apply for a temporary professional permit. Cf. Form

The documents must be submitted as certified copies and German translations. Other documents may be requested in the further course of the procedure. If the equivalence of the educational level cannot be determined or is only possible with unreasonable time or material effort, proof of the required knowledge and skills shall be provided by taking an examination (knowledge examination) which relates to the content of the state final examination.
If the equivalence of the level of training cannot be proven, or if you do not wish to apply for an expert opinion because you are of the opinion that you cannot prove an equivalent level of knowledge, it is possible to prove the required knowledge and skills in a knowledge examination. Cf. form.

Modification of the dental knowledge examination

On October 1st 2020, the new version of the Approbationsordnung für Zahnärzte und Zahnärztinnen (ZApprO) came into force. This also results in changes to the procedure for the dental knowledge examination for dentists with degrees from third countries (non-EU).

From 1 October 2020, the knowledge examination shall consist of three consecutive sections: the written section (section 108 ZApprO), the oral section (section 109 ZApprO) and the practical section (section 110 ZApprO).

The individual sections of the examination must be taken in this order (§ 104 ZApprO). Each failed examination section may be repeated twice (§ 118 ZApprO).

In the absence of transitional arrangements, these requirements came into force on October 1st 2020.
Partial examinations (practical or theoretical knowledge examination) already passed or not passed by then will be taken into account or credited accordingly.

Further information can be found in the information sheet on the knowledge examination.

Leaflet Knowledge Examination (pdf, 82 KB) (in german)

 

 

 

 

On application, you can be granted a restricted professional licence according to § 13 ZHG, maximum duration 2 years. This professional permit does not cover any assistant activities. Activities with this professional permit do not compensate for deficits and are not activities within the meaning of the further training regulations. This permit can be granted upon submission of a suitable job offer and the application with the associated documents.

Dienstgebäude Pallas

Contact

Recognition of foreign qualifications in the health sector

Regierungspräsidium Stuttgart
Department 95.2
Landesanerkennungsstelle für Gesundheitsberufe (LAfG BW)
Ruppmannstraße 21
70565 Stuttgart

Please submit application documents by post only.
Contact form
FAQ Academic healthcare professions (in german)

Please note: Longer processing times

We ask for your understanding that longer processing times must be expected due to the large number of applications received. To enable us to process the applications more quickly, please submit all application documents in full.

Counselling services:

Department 95.2 cannot provide counselling beyond the written information.
The IQ Netzwerk Baden-Württemberg maintains a state-wide counselling network for the recognition of foreign professional qualifications.

If your interest relates to Germany in general, we recommend that you use the advisory services offered by the Central Service Point for Professional Recognition ZSBA. The ZSBA advises and supports you throughout the entire recognition procedure and can assist you in compiling the documents. The service is free of charge. You can reach the ZSBA at the e-mail address recognition@arbeitsagentur.de.