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License to practice dentistry issued by a dentist from a third country

Service Description

In order to be able to work as a dentist in Germany, you need the Approbation. The Approbation is the state admission to the profession. Approbation is necessary because the profession is regulated in Germany. This means that you are not allowed to work independently as a dentist without an Approbation.

You can also obtain an Approbation in Germany with a professional qualification from a so-called third country. Third countries are all countries that do not belong to the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.

Approbation will be granted by the competent body if your dental training is equivalent to German training. The equivalence is checked in the recognition procedure.

You must also fulfill other requirements for the granting of the license to practice dentistry. For example, you must be suitable in terms of health and have the necessary language skills.

If your professional qualification comes from the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, other regulations apply.

You can also submit the application for the procedure from abroad.

Process flow

Application

You submit an application for licensure as a dentist to the competent office. The competent body checks whether your training corresponds to the German training and all other requirements are met. Approbation can only be granted if your training from a third country is equivalent to German training.

Examination of equivalence

The competent body compares your professional qualification from abroad with your German professional qualification as a dentist. The competent body checks 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 examination

If your professional qualification is equivalent, your foreign professional qualification will be recognized. The authority can confirm the result to you in writing. You still have to fulfill the other requirements and prove your language skills. Then you will be granted a license to practice dentistry.

If the competent authority finds significant differences, you can compensate for the differences through your professional practice and other knowledge and skills (lifelong learning). You must provide evidence of the professional practice. Knowledge and skills must be certified by an authority in your country of origin.

However, it may be that this knowledge is not sufficient. In this case, you will not be able to compensate for the essential differences. Your foreign professional qualification will then not be recognized.

The competent authority will inform you in writing about the essential differences and why you cannot compensate for the essential differences through your professional practice. The decision of the competent body will also state the level of your training and the level required in Germany. You are then not allowed to work as a dentist. However, the competent body offers you the opportunity to take a knowledge examination. If you successfully pass the knowledge examination (and fulfill all other requirements), you will receive your license to practice dentistry.

Knowledge examination

If your professional qualification is not equivalent and you cannot make up the differences, you can take a knowledge examination. The knowledge examination is based on the final examination as a dentist in Germany. The contents and the exact procedure of the examination are regulated by law. If you pass the knowledge examination, you will be granted a license to practice dentistry. You must also fulfill the other requirements for this and prove your language skills.

Who should I contact?

Please contact the Thuringian State Administration Office.

Requirements

  • You have a professional qualification as a dentist from a third country.
  • You are suitable in health for work as a dentist.
  • You are reliable and worthy to work as a dentist and have no criminal record.
  • You have the necessary knowledge of German for the job. These are general language skills at level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and medical language skills at level C1.

Which documents are required?

The responsible office will provide information on what documents you need to submit. Important documents are generally:

  • Proof of identity (identity card or passport in officially certified copy)
  • German-language curriculum vitae in tabular form with your education and professional activities
  • officially certified copy of your training certificate
  • Evidence of the contents of your education:
    List of subjects and training hours you have completed
  • Certificate that you are allowed to work as a dentist in your country of training
  • Evidence of your relevant professional experience as a dentist
  • Criminal record excerpt or certificate of good conduct from your country of origin as proof of your worthiness and reliability (This proof must be no more than 3 months old at the time of application).
  • Medical certificate of your health suitability (The certificate can be from an authority from your country of training. The certificate must not be older than 3 months at the time of application).
  • Declaration that you have not yet applied for a license to practice medicine in Germany.
  • Registration certificate or declaration that you intend to work where you are submitting the application.

The responsible office will inform you which documents you have to submit as originals or copies.

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.

What are the fees?

The procedure is subject to a fee. The competent office will inform you about the costs. The costs generally depend on the expenditure for the processing.

The costs for issuing the license to practice medicine amount to at least 320.00 euros.

Additional costs may arise (e.g. for translations, certifications and any expert opinions). These costs vary individually.

What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?

None.

Sometimes documents are still missing in the procedure. The responsible office will then inform you by when you must submit the documents. The procedure may be prolonged as a result.

Processing duration

The competent body will confirm that your application and documents have arrived after a maximum of one month. The competent body will inform you if any documents are missing.

If the documents are complete, the procedure takes a maximum of 4 months.

Legal basis

Applications / forms

You can take legal action against the decision of the responsible office. The decision will then be reviewed. Details on this can be found in the information on legal remedies at the end of your decision. We recommend that you first talk to the responsible office before taking legal action against the decision.

What else should I know?

  • Proof of language skills
    A prerequisite for the Approbation is general German language skills at the B2 level. You can also submit the required proof of language proficiency during the Approbation procedure. In addition, you must take a medical language test at level C1 during the Approbation procedure.

  • Professional license
    Before taking the knowledge test, you can apply for a temporary professional permit. With a professional permit, you may work (under the supervision of a dentist with a license) even without a license. For this, you must provide proof of language skills at the B2 level and pass a specialist language test at the C1 level. The professional permit is usually valid for 2 years. Your competent office will inform you about this.

  • Equivalency notice
    In the approval procedure, the equivalence of your training is examined (recognition procedure). You can apply for a separate notification of the result of the examination.

  • Electronic application
    You can also submit your application electronically.

  • Procedure for late repatriates
    As a late repatriate, you can go through the recognition procedure either according to the law mentioned here or according to the Federal Expellees Act. You can decide this yourself. Your competent office will advise you on this.

Author

The text was automatically translated based on the German content per DeepL.

Technically approved by

Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training

(forwarded to the Federal Ministry of Health for release)

Source: Zuständigkeitsfinder Thüringen (Linie6PLus)

Start your request directly online:

Competent Authority

Thüringer Landesverwaltungsamt - Berufe des Gesundheitswesens, Landesprüfungsamt - Referat 720

Postal address
Jorge-Semprún-Platz 4
99423 Weimar
Telephone
+49 361 57332-1356
E-Mail
Contact us
Www
https://landesverwaltungsamt.thueringen.de/soziales/gesundheitswesen
Transport connection
1, 2, 3, 9
Parking spaces
Parking Place
Tiefgarage Atrium,
Number: 840
Fees: yes
Building access