Dentistry Schools and Programs in Switzerland

Dentistry Studies in Switzerland

Dentistry in Switzerland is a federally regulated university degree. It takes five years, is taught in German or French, and ends with a federal examination. Places are few and, for applicants from abroad, access is tightly restricted: this is the first thing an international student needs to know.

According to swissuniversities, the umbrella organisation of the Swiss universities, dentistry can be studied at four universities: Basel, Bern and Zurich, which limit admission (numerus clausus), and Geneva, which does not limit the first year. SpainExchange lists 3 schools under dentistry in Switzerland, in Zurich, Lucerne and Bern. Of these, the University of Zurich and the University of Bern teach the dental degree.

How the degree is organised

The programme follows the Bologna structure: a three-year bachelor's degree and a two-year master's degree. At the University of Bern the Bachelor of Dental Medicine carries 180 ECTS credits over 6 semesters and the Master of Dental Medicine 120 ECTS credits over 4 semesters. Both are taught in German and start in the autumn semester.

The first two years are shared with human medicine and cover the scientific and medical foundations. Three clinical years follow at the university's dental clinics: the zmk bern (School of Dental Medicine) in Bern and the Zentrum für Zahnmedizin (Center of Dental Medicine) in Zurich. Students first practise on models and simulators and then treat patients under supervision. The University of Zurich notes that the course has a fixed structure aimed at a clearly defined profession and can only be started in an autumn semester. A change between dentistry and human medicine is not possible during the bachelor's degree in Zurich.

After the master's degree, graduates sit the federal examination in dental medicine. The Federal Office of Public Health (BAG) describes it as a single interdisciplinary multiple-choice examination, held once a year in German or French and coordinated for the whole country. A passed master's examination is required to register.

Admission and language

The general university entrance requirements apply (a Swiss Matura or a recognised foreign school-leaving certificate). In addition, Basel, Bern and Zurich allocate their places through the aptitude test for medical studies (EMS):

• pre-registration with swissuniversities is open from December to 15 February
• the test takes place on the Friday of calendar week 27 (July)
• the participation fee is 300 Swiss francs
• bachelor's capacity in dentistry is 32 places in Basel, 40 in Bern and 50 in Zurich
• in Geneva the first year is open, but the second year has 30 places

Applicants cannot register for more than one medical discipline in the same year. swissuniversities states that the teaching languages of medical studies in Switzerland are German and French and that there is no programme taught in English.

The key rule for readers abroad: people who have neither a Swiss passport nor a residence in Switzerland cannot be admitted to medical studies, which include dentistry, because of the limited number of places. Foreign nationals who have lived in Switzerland for several years (for example with a C permit) can be treated like Swiss applicants under certain conditions; the chosen university decides.

Costs

Tuition fees at Swiss public universities are low by international standards: Study in Switzerland+ gives a range of CHF 500 to CHF 2,000 per semester. Dentistry adds material costs. The University of Zurich publishes a cost table for the three clinical years, valid from the autumn semester 2026: tuition of CHF 720 per semester, a clinic and laboratory instrument set of CHF 5,400, and CHF 1,700 for the federal final examination including the diploma. Its approximate guide price for the three clinical years is CHF 17,300.

Recognition and careers

According to the University of Bern, graduates who have passed the master's degree and the federal examination can carry out all treatments of basic dental care independently and recognise cases that need a specialist. The federal examination is also the condition for postgraduate specialisation (Master of Advanced Studies) in a field of dentistry. Many students in Bern additionally write a dissertation for the title Dr. med. dent.

Dentists who trained abroad follow a different route. The BAG examines foreign degrees in the university medical professions, which include dentistry. Diplomas from EU or EFTA states or the United Kingdom can in principle be recognised in Switzerland; for diplomas from other countries the BAG explains which procedures apply. For most international readers, recognition of a degree obtained at home is therefore a more realistic path into Swiss dentistry than admission to the Swiss degree.

Frequently asked questions

Can international students study dentistry in Switzerland?

Only in limited cases. According to swissuniversities, applicants without a Swiss passport and without residence in Switzerland cannot be admitted to medical studies, which include dentistry. Foreign nationals who have lived in Switzerland for several years may qualify under certain conditions.

How long does it take to become a dentist in Switzerland?

Five years: a three-year bachelor's degree (180 ECTS credits) and a two-year master's degree (120 ECTS credits), followed by the federal examination in dental medicine.

Is dentistry taught in English in Switzerland?

No. The teaching languages of medical studies are German and French. The programmes in Bern and Zurich are taught in German.

Is there an entrance exam?

Yes, in Basel, Bern and Zurich. Places are allocated through the aptitude test for medical studies (EMS), held in July, after pre-registration with swissuniversities by 15 February.