Single point of contact for professional recognition as a dentist: General information

For the recognition of your foreign dental qualification, you can contact a single point of contact. Further information can be found here.

Detailed description

To work as a dentist in Germany, you need a professional license (approbation). If you obtained your professional qualification abroad, you must have your foreign professional qualification recognized in order to obtain the professional license.



The single point of contact is a central office that will inform you about this, accept your application and forward it to the responsible department.

 

Information

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for contacting the Single Point of Contact.



The following requirements must be met for your professional qualification to be recognized:

  • She wants to work as a dentist in Germany.
  • They have a comparable professional qualification from abroad.
  • Their professional qualifications are equivalent.
  • The professional qualification is equivalent if there are no significant differences between your professional qualification and the German professional qualification.

Documents required

  • Application
  • Declaration regarding pending criminal and investigative proceedings
  • A short, complete CV with date and signature, including a summary of professional experience.
  • Birth certificate
  • If applicable: marriage certificate or alternatively an extract from the family register.
  • Proof of identity (e.g., identity card, passport, travel document)
  • Certificate(s) of training
  • Proof of authorization to practice dentistry without restrictions in the home country, issued by the competent authorities there (for example, a diploma)
  • Certificate of Current Professional Status / Certificate of Good Standing from the competent authority(ies) of the country(ies) in which activities as a dentist were last carried out.
  • Proof of German language skills
  • passed exam at level B2
  • Proof of passing the specialist language examination at CEFR level C1
  • Alternatively: Proof of dispensability (native speaker, education in German, 10 years of German schooling)

For training outside the European Union (EU), the following additional requirements apply:

  • Previous professional activities
  • Proof of previous professional experience
  • Proof of advanced professional training
  • Professional license certificate
  • Overview of subjects and hours (per semester), which shows the subjects and hours actually taught, as well as the hours of practical training completed (for example, internship, traineeship, ordination) and the content of the state final examination.

Upon request, additionally:

  • Official certificate of good conduct, type 0 (must not be older than 3 months at the time of granting of approval)
  • Medical certificate (must not be older than 3 months at the time of granting of the license)

Submit foreign certificates along with certified translations from a state-sworn translator. For training courses outside the EU, EEA, or Switzerland, official documents must also be apostilled or legalized.

Please note

For the recognition of your foreign professional qualification, you can either contact the Single Point of Contact or the relevant authority directly. Further information can be found under "Links".



As a rule, applicants with training in so-called third countries are required to submit a request for information to the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) in Bonn.

Deadlines

For the application process: None

Procedure

  • You compile your documents and submit them with the application in the required form to the single point of contact.
  • The single point of contact will forward your application to the relevant department.
  • The responsible authority will check whether you meet all the requirements.
  • The responsible authority will compare your professional qualification from abroad with the German professional qualification.
  • If your qualifications are deemed equivalent, please submit proof of your health, language skills, and personal suitability. Refer to the linked information sheet for further details.
  • If your qualifications are not recognized as equivalent, you will complete an adaptation measure in the form of an aptitude test or an adaptation course. The responsible authority will provide you with more detailed information.

Processing time

The duration of the procedure depends on the individual case.

Fees

Fees for obtaining the license to practice: €130.00 - €360.00




In addition, you must expect costs for things like printouts, the determination of equivalence, the granting of a professional license, the specialist language test, expert opinions or knowledge tests.

Legal remedies

Contradiction

Legal basis

Licensing regulations for dentists (ZApprO)


https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/zappro/BJNR093310019.html


Law on the Practice of Dentistry (ZHG)


https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/zhg/BJNR002210952.html

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Keywords: Dentist

Last updated: 13.02.2026