Approbation als "Zahnärztin" oder "Zahnarzt" mit Berufsqualifikation aus EU/EWR/Schweiz beantragen

Would you like to work as a dentist in Germany? Then you need a state license, the Approbation. You can also obtain a license to practice with a foreign professional qualification. To do so, you must have your professional qualification recognized.

The profession of dentist is regulated in Germany. This means that in order to work as a dentist in Germany without any restrictions, you need a license to practice. Approbation is the state license to practice the profession. This means that you are not allowed to work independently as a dentist without a license to practice. You can also obtain a license to practice in Germany with a professional qualification from a country in the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.

In order to obtain a license to practice, you must have your foreign professional qualification recognized. In the recognition procedure, the competent authority compares your professional qualification with the German professional qualification and checks the equivalence. The equivalence of the professional qualification is an important prerequisite for obtaining a license to practice.

A professional qualification from the EU, the EEA or Switzerland is usually automatically recognized when you apply for a licence to practise. However, there may also be deviations from this rule. This depends on the country in which you completed your training and when. If you began your professional training after your country of training joined the EU/EEA, your professional qualification will be recognized automatically.

If your professional qualification does not originate from the EU, EEA or Switzerland, other regulations apply.

In addition to the equivalence of the professional qualification, you must also meet other requirements for the permit to be issued. Further requirements are, for example, sufficient German language skills and health suitability.
You can also apply for the procedure from abroad.

The responsible office will tell you which documents you need to submit. Important documents are generally

• Proof of identity (identity card or passport)
• Marriage certificate (if your name has changed due to marriage)
• Curriculum vitae
• Proof of your professional qualifications (e.g. certificates, professional certificate)
• Proof of the content and duration of your education (e.g. diploma supplement, transcript of records)
• Proof of your relevant professional experience as a dentist (e.g. employment references)
• Information on whether you have already submitted an application for a license to practice in Germany
• Do you not yet live or work in Germany? Then you may need to provide proof: You want to work in the profession in Germany. Proof can be, for example, applications for a job, invitations to job interviews or a personal statement.

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

• Certificate of conformity
  If no certificate of conformity is available: Proof of the content and duration of your training (for example, list of subjects and grades, study book, diploma supplement, transcript of records)
• Certificate: You must have worked legally and continuously in the profession for at least three years during the last five years before the certificate is issued.

You usually submit these documents later. The responsible office will inform you when you should submit the documents:

• Proof of your personal suitability: criminal record extract or certificate of good conduct from your country of origin. The certificate must not be older than 3 months at the time of application.
• Proof of your health suitability: Medical certificate. The certificate must not be older than 3 months at the time of application.
• Proof of your German language skills: Language certificate.
  General German language skills at level B2 are required for the license to practice medicine. You can also submit the required language certificate during the licensing procedure. You must also take a medical language test at level C1 during the licensing procedure.

The responsible office will tell you which documents you need to submit as a simple copy, a certified copy or the original.
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.

• You have a professional qualification as a dentist from the EU, the EEA or Switzerland.
• You want to work as a dentist in Germany.
• Personal suitability: You are reliable to work as a dentist and have no criminal record.
• Health suitability: You are mentally and physically fit to work as a dentist.
• You have German language skills at the required level. This is usually general language skills at level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and technical language skills at level C1.

The responsible office will inform you of the costs. The costs generally depend on the time and effort required for processing.

Additional costs may be incurred (e.g. for translations or notarizations). These costs vary from case to case.

Application

You submit an application for a license to practice as a dentist to the competent authority.

You can submit the application with the documents to the competent office or send it by post. Do not send any originals. Sometimes you can also send the application electronically. The competent body will inform you.

The competent body will then check whether your training corresponds to the German training and whether all other requirements have been met.

Automatic recognition

As a rule, the automatic recognition procedure applies if you began your vocational training after your country of training joined the EU/EEA. This means that if you also meet all other requirements, your professional qualification will be recognized without an individual equivalence assessment.

Certificate of conformity

Vocational training that you began before the EU/EEA accession of your country of training (or that does not correspond to the legal designations) can also be recognized automatically. To do so, you must submit a certificate from the competent authority in your country of training stating that your professional qualification meets the minimum EU standards ("certificate of conformity"). If your professional qualification does not meet the minimum standards, you must provide proof of your professional experience. You must have worked as a dentist in your country of origin for 3 consecutive years in the 5 years prior to submitting your application. This must be confirmed by the competent authority in your country of origin.

Examination of equivalence

If you cannot present a certificate of conformity or do not have enough professional experience, your training must be checked individually. The competent authority will compare your professional qualification from abroad with the German professional qualification. The competent body will 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.

Possible results of the examination

If your professional qualification is equivalent, your foreign professional qualification will be recognized. The authority can confirm the result in writing. You must still meet the other requirements and provide proof of your language skills. You will then be granted a license to practice as a dentist.

Are there any significant differences between your professional qualification and the German professional qualification? You may be able to compensate for the differences through your professional experience, other knowledge or skills (lifelong learning). You must provide evidence of your professional experience. Knowledge and skills must be certified by an authority in the country in which you acquired the knowledge or skills.

However, it is possible that the essential differences cannot be compensated for by this knowledge. The competent authority will tell you the main differences and why you cannot compensate for the main differences with your professional experience.

The decision of the competent authority will also state the level of your training and the level required in Germany. You will then not be allowed to work as a dentist in Germany.

Aptitude test

If your professional qualification is not equivalent and you cannot compensate for the differences, you can take an aptitude test. The aptitude test examines the main differences in your professional qualifications. The aptitude test can consist of a written, an oral and a practical section. Based on the equivalence test, the competent body decides which section or sections of the examination to take.

If you pass the aptitude test and meet all other requirements, you will be licensed as a dentist.

There is no deadline.

Sometimes documents are still missing from the procedure. The responsible office will then inform you by when you must submit the documents. This may prolong the procedure.

Freedom to provide services

Do you only want to offer services in Germany occasionally and for a short time? Then you usually do not need a state permit. You must fulfill these requirements:

• You must be established in another EU or EEA member state or in Switzerland.
• You must provide proof of your professional qualification.
• You must notify the competent authority of your activity in writing.

The competent authority will inform you.

Notification of equivalence

The licensing procedure may also include an assessment of the equivalence of your training (recognition procedure). You can apply for a separate notification of the result of the examination.

Procedure for ethnic German repatriates

As a late repatriate, you can go through the recognition procedure either in accordance with the laws mentioned here or in accordance with the Federal Expellee Act. You can decide for yourself. The responsible office will advise you on which procedure is right for you.

You can take legal action against the decision of the competent authority within a certain period of time (for example, by lodging an objection). The decision will then be reviewed. Details can be found in the information on legal remedies at the end of your decision. We recommend that you first speak to the responsible office before taking legal action against the decision.

• Apply for a license to practice as a dentist with a professional qualification from the EU/EEA/Switzerland.
• To work as a dentist in Germany, you need a state license (Approbation).
• With a license to practice medicine, you can work as a dentist.
• You can also obtain a license to practice in Germany with a professional qualification from the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.
• It is important where and when you acquired your professional qualification.

• Forms: Forms can be obtained from the responsible office.
• Online procedure possible: Ask the responsible office whether you can submit the application online.
• Personal appearance necessary: no