Apply for recognition as a specialist dentist with a professional qualification from the EU, the EEA or Switzerland

Prerequisites

• You must already have a state professional license (approbation) valid in Germany as a dentist or a professional permit.
• You must prove the equivalence of your professional qualification as a specialist dentist.

Documents required

• Curriculum vitae with information on completed further training and professional experience
• Proof of identity (ID card or passport)
• Proof of German approbation or professional license and proof of the equivalent level of training
• Proof of further training and certificates of professional experience
• Written declaration as to whether you have already submitted an application for recognition to another medical association

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

• Certificate of Conformity or
• Evidence that you have actually and lawfully practiced the profession continuously for at least 3 years during the last 5 years before the certificate was issued.

If your documents are not in German, you must submit German translations of your documents. The translations must be made by translators who are publicly appointed or authorized.

Deadlines

No

Procedure

Before you submit the application, you must already have a license to practice dentistry or a professional license in Germany.
You can apply for recognition of your postgraduate qualification as a specialist dentist at the responsible regional dental association:

• First, submit your application and the required documents to the dentists’ association of the federal state in which you would like to work.
• You may be asked to submit missing documents.
• The procedure of automatic recognition often applies. This means: Your professional qualification will be recognized without an individual equivalence test.
• If you started your further training before your country of training joined the EU/EEA, you must prove that your professional qualification meets the minimum standards of the EU (“Certificate of Conformity”). This will be certified by the competent authority in your country of training. If your professional qualification does not meet the minimum standards, you must provide evidence of your professional experience. To do this, you must have worked in your country of origin for 3 years without interruption in the last 5 years before submitting the application.
• If your professional qualification is not automatically recognised, your training must be checked individually. The competent body will then 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.
• If your qualification as a specialist dentist is recognised, you can work in this profession in Germany. You will receive a notification.

If significant differences are found, the equivalence of your qualification as a specialist dentist will not be certified:

• You will receive a reason.
• You can take an aptitude test to prove the lack of knowledge.
• If you successfully complete the aptitude test, you will receive recognition. You may then use the designation "Fachzahnärztin" or "Fachzahnarzt" for your specialization.

You can take legal action against the decision of the competent authority within a certain period of time (e.g. file an objection). The decision is then reviewed. Details can be found in the instructions on legal remedies at the end of your decision. It is best to speak to the competent authority first before taking legal action against the decision.

Fees

unknown

Legal remedies

• contradiction


• Further information on how to file an objection can be found in the notification of your application


• Complaint before the Administrative Court

The profession of specialist dentist is regulated in Germany. This means: You need a permit if you want to use the designation "Fachzahnärztin" or "Fachzahnarzt" for your specialization in the federal state you have chosen.
With the training as a specialist dentist, you have acquired a medical specialization for your qualification as a dentist abroad. To work as a dentist in Germany, you first need a license to practice medicine or a professional license. In order to be able to work as a specialist dentist in Germany, you must also apply for recognition of your further training as a specialist dentist. This allows you to use the designation "Fachzahnärztin" or "Fachzahnärztin" in your respective specialization.
Note: You may only use the designation for your specialization if there is a corresponding further education designation in Germany.
Permission will be granted by the competent state dental association after examining your documents and requirements.