You can apply for recognition as a specialist dentist in Thuringia if you have a valid license to practice/professional permit and are a member of the Thuringian Dental Association.

Procedure for specialist qualifications from EU/EEA/contracting states

If you have acquired your specialist dental qualification in the territory of the European Union (Member State), the European Economic Area (EEA State) or in a State to which Germany and the European Union have granted a corresponding legal right (Contracting State) and this is listed in Annex V, point 5.3.3 of Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Council of 7 September 2005 on the recognition of professional qualifications or the Agreement on the EEA and Switzerland, this is to be recognized automatically. Upon application, you will receive recognition of the designation provided for under the valid continuing education regulations. The recognition procedure is carried out without an individual examination of equivalence.

If your specialist dental qualification is evidence of further training which you completed before the cut-off dates specified in Annex V, point 5.3.3 of Directive 2005/36/EC, your specialist dental qualification may be recognized if you have

• present a certificate issued by the competent health authority of the state in which you obtained your qualification confirming that your continuing education meets the minimum standards set out in Art. 35 of Directive 2005/36/EC, or
• present a certificate issued by the competent health authority of the state in which you obtained your qualification confirming that you have worked permanently and legally as a specialist dentist in the requested specialty for at least 3 years during the 5 years preceding the issue of the certificate.

If you hold a specialist dental title that does not correspond to a title listed in Annex V, point 5.3.3 of Directive 2005/36/EC, it may be recognized. The prerequisite is the submission of a certificate from the competent body of the EU/EEA/or contracting state in which the further training was obtained. The certificate must confirm that your certificate of continuing education is equivalent to the certificate of continuing education whose designation is listed in Annex V, point 5.3.3 of Directive 2005/36/EC (so-called certificate of conformity).

If you have a specialist dental qualification that is not covered by the automatic recognition, you will receive recognition of your specialist dental qualification upon application if the equivalence of the level of further training is given. The equivalence of the level of further training is not given if there are substantial differences between your proven specialist dental qualification and the German further training and these cannot be compensated by corresponding professional practice. Substantial differences are present

• if the duration of your proven specialist dental qualification is at least one year less than the duration of further training specified by the chamber in its further training regulations, or
• if the specialist dentist qualification you have demonstrated lacks essential knowledge, experience and skills, the acquisition of which is a prerequisite for the specialist dentist designation applied for.

If significant deficiencies are identified that cannot be compensated for by your professional practice or by knowledge, skills and competencies acquired through lifelong learning and formally recognized as valid for this purpose, you may take a so-called aptitude test to compensate for the deficiencies. The State Dental Association will inform you of the deficits identified in its decision. It will also inform you of the reasons why the deficits could not be compensated by your professional practice or by knowledge, skills and competences acquired through lifelong learning. The State Dental Association will make you an offer to take an aptitude test. The date for the aptitude test will be chosen so that you have the opportunity to take it no later than 6 months after the decision of the State Dental Association to impose an aptitude test on you. The duration of the examination is at least 30 minutes. If you pass the examination, you will receive recognition of the designation provided for under the valid continuing education regulations.

If you have acquired your specialist dental qualification in a third country and this has already been recognized in another EU/EEA/contracting state and the other EU/EEA/contracting state certifies that you have 3 years of professional practice in the requested specialist field in the territory of the issuing EU/EEA/contracting state, you will receive recognition of the designation provided for under the valid continuing education regulations upon application.

Procedure for specialist dental qualifications from non-EU/EEA/contracting state (third state)

If you have acquired your specialist dental qualifications in a third country, your qualification will be reviewed individually. The responsible dental association will check the equivalence of your foreign specialist dentist qualification with the German specialist dentist qualification.

If your specialist dentist qualification is equivalent to the German specialist dentist qualification, you will receive recognition of the specialist dentist designation.

If substantial differences are found that cannot be compensated for by professional practice or by knowledge, skills and competencies acquired through lifelong learning, you must supplement the qualification in the requested specialty. Only then will you be able to take the required examination on all the prescribed content of the corresponding specialty dental education. If you pass the examination, you will receive recognition of the designation provided for under the valid continuing education regulations.

For more information, please contact the relevant state dental association.

The application procedure can also be carried out via the technical systems of the point of single contact as of January 18, 2016.

• Single point of contact
• Central Office for Foreign Education
• Certificate evaluation for foreign university qualifications
• Recognition in Germany" portal