© Тарас Нагирняк - stock.adobe.com

Medicine, dentistry and healthcare concept, male dentist showing teeth x-ray to female patient at dental clinic office.

Dentists

License to practice

The legal basis for the practice of dentistry is the Law on the Practice of Dentistry (Gesetz über die Ausübung der Zahnheilkunde – ZHG) and the Licensing Regulations for Dentists (Approbationsordnung für Zahnärzte und Zahnärztinnen – ZApprO).
Anyone who wishes to practice dentistry permanently in Germany must obtain a license to practice as a dentist (§ 1(1) ZHG).

§§ 104–118 of the ZApprO apply to participation in the knowledge examination pursuant to § 2(3), sentence 3, of the ZHG.

Starting May 1, 2026, dentists who earned their degrees outside the EU must provide proof of radiation safety training through certified continuing education courses before their license is granted.

Temporary Professional Licenses

The temporary practice of dentistry is also permitted on the basis of a limited license for a total duration of up to two years (professional license pursuant to § 13 section 1 to 3 of the ZHG). This is possible in the following cases:

  • to prepare for the knowledge examination to determine the equivalence of the level of dental training
  • for reasons of dental care
  • in the presence of a special interest

Notes on language proficiency
To demonstrate sufficient German language proficiency, relevant documentation must be submitted, e.g. ten years of schooling in Germany, specialized language exam, etc.. This list is not exhaustive. Not all applicants are required to take the specialized language exam. This is decided on a case-by-case basis.

© Maks_Lab – stock.adobe.com

four wooden blocks with the letters info on the bright surface of a gray table. the inscription on the cubes is reflected from the surface of the table

Applications (applies only to applications from third countries!) must be submitted exclusively via the educational institution ProfeS GmbH.
ProfeS forwards the documents to the Landesamt für Soziales, Jugend und Versorgung (State Office for Social Affairs, Youth, and Care, – LSJV –) once they are complete.
The application will then be processed further by the LSJV.

ProfeS contact:
Phone 06341 68146-50
fallmanagement(at)profes-gmbh.de 

Consulting

Consultation for dentists who did not complete their training in Germany is provided by the IQ Recognition and Qualification Advisory Offices in Rhineland-Palatinate.

© Monster Ztudio – stock.adobe.com

Wooden discs with symbols for telephone, letter, and email

Contact

Phone hours:
Mondays and Thursdays, 
01.00-04.00 PM
Tuesdays and Fridays, 
09.00 AM-12.00 PM.

Licenses to practice

upon completion of training in Rhineland-Palatinate

Ms. Sevim
approbation-rp(at)lsjv.rlp.de

for those who completed their training in EU member states, EEA countries, or Switzerland

Ms. Herzog
Phone 0261 4041-263
anerkennung-zahnarzt(at)lsjv.rlp.de

Temporary Professional Licenses

for applicants who have completed their training in countries outside the EU, the EEA, and Switzerland

Ms. Schiller
Phone 0261 4041-431
Mr. Krudewig
Phone 0261 4041-325
Ms. Bätza
Phone 0261 4041-243
anerkennung-zahnarzt(at)lsjv.rlp.de