Dentistry Schools and Programs in Germany

Dentistry Studies in Germany

St. Maria, Cologne

Dentistry (Zahnmedizin) in Germany is not a bachelor's or master's degree. It is a single, long university course that ends with a state examination (Staatsexamen), and its content and length are set by a federal regulation, the licensing regulations for dentists (Approbationsordnung für Zahnärzte und Zahnärztinnen, ZApprO). The course is taught in German at universities.

SpainExchange lists 3 universities in Germany that teach dentistry: Universität Ulm, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt and Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg.

How the course is organised

According to the ZApprO, dental training consists of:

• University studies in dentistry of 5,000 hours over five years
• Training in first aid
• One month of nursing service
• A four-week clinical elective (Famulatur)
• The dental examination (Zahnärztliche Prüfung), taken in three sections

The standard period of study, including the examination, is five years and six months. Universities describe this as 10 or 11 semesters: Ulm lists a standard period of 10 semesters of study, and Frankfurt lists 11 semesters, the last one for the final examination.

The course has three stages. At Ulm, semesters 1 to 4 cover the scientific and medical foundations (biology, chemistry, physics, anatomy, biochemistry, physiology) and first practical courses, largely together with students of human medicine. Semesters 5 and 6 are practical training on simulators and in laboratories; Frankfurt calls this the Phantomjahr (phantom year). In semesters 7 to 10 students treat patients under supervision in the clinical courses of conservative dentistry, prosthodontics, oral surgery and orthodontics.

Admission

Dentistry is one of four subjects with nationwide admission restrictions, together with medicine, pharmacy and veterinary medicine. Places are allocated centrally through the Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung and its portal hochschulstart.de. Who applies where depends on nationality:

• Germans, EU and EEA citizens and foreigners with a German school-leaving certificate apply through hochschulstart.de and are treated like German applicants. Ulm describes the main quotas: 30% of places for the best school-leaving grades, 10% in an additional aptitude quota and 60% in the university's own selection procedure, in which Ulm uses the school grade, the Test for Medical Studies (TMS) and relevant training or voluntary service.
• Other international applicants apply directly to the universities, according to hochschulstart.de. Universities may admit them once a year only, with 15 January as the single deadline, so the date has to be checked with each university. Ulm explains that up to two tenths of places are reserved in advance for priority quotas, which include non-EU nationals.

Start dates differ: Ulm admits new students each winter semester, Frankfurt in the winter and the summer semester.

Teaching and patient contact are in German. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) states that most higher education institutions require at least CEFR level B2; faculties set their own language requirements, which applicants have to check. Applicants whose school-leaving certificate is not recognised in Germany first attend a Studienkolleg.

Costs

According to DAAD, state higher education institutions generally charge no tuition fees for first degrees. In the state of Baden-Württemberg, where Ulm and Freiburg are located, international students from outside the EU pay €1,500 per semester, which also applies to state examination courses. All students pay a semester contribution, which DAAD puts at between €70 and €430 depending on the institution. Students who need a visa have to prove funds of €992 per month (figure valid since January 2025).

Licence to practise and recognition

Passing the dental examination does not by itself allow a graduate to work. Anyone who wants to practise dentistry permanently in Germany needs a licence (Approbation) under the Dentistry Act (Zahnheilkundegesetz). It is granted on application to people who have passed the German dental examination and have the knowledge of German needed for the profession, among other conditions. Dental training completed in another EU or EEA member state counts as equivalent when it is proven with one of the diplomas listed in the annex to the act.

Students who plan to work outside Germany should check before they start whether the German state examination is recognised in their home country, as DAAD advises for all state examination courses.

Frequently asked questions

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

The standard period of study is five years and six months: five years of university studies of 5,000 hours plus the dental examination. After that, graduates apply for the licence to practise (Approbation).

Can I study dentistry in Germany in English?

The courses at Ulm and Frankfurt are taught in German, and the licence to practise requires knowledge of German. Applicants need proof of German before they start.

How do international students apply for dentistry in Germany?

EU and EEA citizens apply through hochschulstart.de like German applicants. Applicants from other countries apply directly to the universities, which may set 15 January as the only deadline of the year.

Is dentistry in Germany free?

State universities generally charge no tuition fees, but non-EU students pay €1,500 per semester in Baden-Württemberg (Ulm, Freiburg). Every student pays a semester contribution.