licence to practise dentistry

What are the requirements?

§ 2(1) of the Dentists' Act (ZHG) sets out four conditions: no conduct indicating unworthiness or unreliability, fitness to practise, a degree programme of at least five years and 5,000 hours with a passed dental state examination, and the German language skills required for the profession. The competent authority is the state examination office or licensing authority of the federal state in which the applicant intends to practise. Documents typically required include the degree certificate, proof of identity, a current certificate of good conduct for submission to an authority, and a medical certificate. Fees, processing times, and document requirements vary considerably from state to state.

How does recognition work for graduates from EU countries?

Graduates from Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Croatia, Malta, or the Baltic states benefit from automatic recognition. Where the training certificate is listed in Annex V no. 5.3.2 of Directive 2005/36/EC and is supported by a certificate of conformity from the country of origin, the authority does not re-examine the training content. Proof of language proficiency is still required — in most states via the professional language examination held by the dental association. For older qualifications from states that acceded only in 2004, 2007, or 2013, additional documentation may be required confirming that the training meets the minimum requirements. Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are not EU member states; qualifications obtained there are subject to § 2(3) of the Dentists' Act.

What about qualifications from third countries?

In those cases the authority assesses whether the training is equivalent. If substantial deficiencies are identified that cannot be offset by professional experience, a knowledge test is required, oriented around the content of the German qualifying examination. Until that point only a temporary licence to practise is available. The authority has discretion in its assessment, which is why proceedings can take anywhere from a few months to over a year. Whether automatic recognition or an individual equivalence assessment applies in a given case is determined by the competent authority — and, in disputed cases, by a legal adviser.

What is often overlooked

Approbation authorises dental practice but does not confer panel status. Anyone wishing to treat patients insured under statutory health insurance must also register with the dental register and, as a rule, complete a period as a preparatory assistant. Registration with the state dental chamber (Landeszahnärztekammer) is also mandatory.