Dentistry Schools and Programs in Denmark

Dentistry Studies in Denmark

Dentistry (odontologi) in Denmark is a five-year university education in two steps: a three-year bachelor's degree followed by a two-year master's degree (kandidat, cand.odont.). Only the master's degree qualifies a graduate as a dentist (tandlæge). The title is protected, and the authorisation is issued by the Danish Patient Safety Authority (Styrelsen for Patientsikkerhed). The education is taught in Danish.

SpainExchange lists 1 school for dentistry in Denmark: Aarhus University, in Aarhus. The University of Copenhagen also has a bachelor's programme in odontology.

How the degree is organised

The Danish structure follows the general pattern described by the official portal Study in Denmark: a university bachelor's degree after three years and a master's programme of two years.

At Aarhus University the bachelor's degree in odontology takes three years and starts in August or September. It combines theory with practical dental work from the beginning:

• Theoretical subjects such as anatomy, chemistry, histology, physiology and psychology
• Laboratory and simulation exercises, with ongoing tests in the clinical subjects
• Supervised patient treatment, for example cleaning, fillings and prosthetic replacements; work with the student's own patients starts in the third semester

The master's degree is a full-time programme of two years with four semesters of compulsory subjects. It takes place mainly in the clinics of the university's dental school, where students treat their own patients under the supervision of clinical teachers, in areas such as prosthetics, crowns and bridges, fillings, root canal treatment and periodontal treatment. The timetable sets aside 30 to 35 hours a week for clinical and theoretical work, and the programme ends with a thesis. The master's degree starts in August or September only.

Admission and language

Applications for the bachelor's degree go through the national admission website optagelse.dk, where applicants can list up to 8 programmes. A foreign qualification must be on a level with a Danish upper secondary school leaving certificate. Aarhus University sets these specific requirements for odontology:

• Danish at A level
• English at B level
• Mathematics at A level
• One of several science combinations, for example physics at B level and chemistry at B level

In quota 1, where places are given by grade average, the admission threshold in 2026 was 10.7 on the Danish scale (standby 10.6), and applicants need an average of at least 6.0 to apply in this quota. Other applicants apply in quota 2 by 15 March at 12 noon; there the university looks at the grades in the relevant subjects, the result of the uniTEST admission test and relevant qualifications.

Both degrees are approved with Danish as the language of instruction, and for Danish-taught programmes applicants have to prove their Danish with an official test. The master's degree also requires Danish at A level. Graduates of the Aarhus bachelor's degree have a legal right to a place on the master's degree if they apply within three years of finishing.

Authorisation and recognition

The Danish Patient Safety Authority issues the authorisation automatically, and free of charge, once a student has passed the final dental examination. Nobody may work as a dentist or use the title without it. A dentist who wants to practise independently needs an additional permission, which can be applied for after one year of practical training.

Dentists who trained abroad must apply for Danish registration before they work in Denmark. The process and documents depend on nationality and on the country of the qualification. For qualifications from EU and EEA countries the authority asks for a certificate that the training meets the standards of Directive 2005/36/EC, the EU directive on professional qualifications. Students from outside the EU who plan to return home should check with their own authorities how a Danish degree is recognised.

Costs and residence

Higher education in Denmark is free for students from the EU, the EEA and Switzerland. Other full-degree students pay tuition fees, which Study in Denmark puts at €6,000 to €16,000 per year (DKK 45,000 to 120,000) across all subjects; the institution sets the exact amount.

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens need a registration certificate if they stay longer than three months. Students from other countries apply for a residence permit through the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI). New rules apply to applications submitted on or after 1 October 2026.

Careers

According to Aarhus University, newly qualified dentists work in private practice and in municipal dental care. Further options are specialist training in orthodontics or oral surgery, and research and teaching at a dental school.

Frequently asked questions

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

Five years: a three-year bachelor's degree and a two-year master's degree in odontology. Permission to practise independently requires one more year of practical training.

Can I study dentistry in Denmark in English?

No. The bachelor's and master's degrees at Aarhus University are taught in Danish, and applicants need Danish at A level.

What grades do I need for dentistry in Denmark?

At Aarhus University the quota 1 threshold in 2026 was a grade average of 10.7 on the Danish scale. Applicants with lower grades can apply in quota 2, which includes the uniTEST.

Is a Danish dental degree recognised in other countries?

Within the EU and EEA, recognition of dental qualifications is based on Directive 2005/36/EC. Outside the EU, each country applies its own rules, so graduates have to ask the authority of the country where they want to work.