Dentistry Schools and Programs in Philippines

Dentistry Studies in Philippines

In the Philippines, dentistry is studied as a professional degree, the Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD, which the University of the Philippines abbreviates DDM). Graduates must then pass the licensure examination for dentists before they can practise. UP asks applicants who did not study in English for a TOEFL score, so a good level of English is needed.

SpainExchange lists one school in the Philippines for dentistry: the University of the Philippines Manila, the UP campus dedicated to the health sciences. Its College of Dentistry began on 8 February 1915 as a department of the UP College of Medicine and Surgery in Manila.

How the degree is organised

The College of Dentistry has three departments that follow the course of the degree:

• Basic Dental Health Sciences, for the fundamental courses
• Clinical Dental Health Sciences, the hands-on phase with patients
• Community Dentistry, for social and community dentistry

The college's aim is that students become scientifically knowledgeable, technically capable and socially sensitive. The Doctor of Dental Medicine programme aims to train dentists who manage patients competently and ethically, promote oral and general health in the community and carry out sound research. After the first degree, the college offers a Master of Science in Dentistry in orthodontics, which it describes as the first master's in dentistry in the Philippines.

Admission and language

Filipino applicants enter UP through the UP College Admission Test (UPCAT). Applicants who finished secondary school abroad and have not enrolled in college can be admitted to non-quota programmes without the UPCAT if they have a qualifying SAT (at least 1200), GCE or International Baccalaureate result; otherwise they take the UPCAT. Applicants whose school language was not English need a TOEFL score of at least 500. International students can also transfer from another university after at least 33 units of academic courses, if places are available.

Dentistry has an extra step for foreigners. A foreign student who wants to take the dental course needs a Certificate of Eligibility for Admission from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), applied for with academic records, a birth certificate or passport, and the notice of acceptance from UP Manila.

Visa and costs

Foreign nationals aged 18 or over who enrol in a course above high-school level at a university or college apply to the Bureau of Immigration for a student visa (9F); the application fee alone is PHP 2,000, with further fees on top. Those who do not qualify for a student visa can ask for a special study permit (checked October 2026). UP's tuition discount scheme is only open to Filipino students, so ask the university registrar for the fees that apply to you before you apply.

Licensing and recognition

The profession is regulated by the Philippine Dental Act of 2007 and its licensure examination is handled through the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). To sit the exam, candidates need a Doctor of Dental Medicine or equivalent from a recognised school. The examination has written and practical parts and covers subjects such as oral anatomy, pathology, dental materials, restorative dentistry, prosthodontics, orthodontics, endodontics, periodontics and oral surgery; candidates need a weighted average of at least 75% with no subject below 50%. A foreigner may only sit the exam if their own country allows Filipino dentists to practise on the same basis as its own citizens. If you plan to practise at home, ask your country's dental authority how a Philippine degree is recognised before you enrol.

Careers

Licensed dentists work in private practice, hospitals and public health programmes, and can specialise through further study, for example in orthodontics. UP Manila's emphasis on community dentistry also prepares graduates for public-sector and community oral health work, as well as research and teaching.

Frequently asked questions

What degree do dentists earn in the Philippines?

The Doctor of Dental Medicine. At UP Manila it is called the Doctor of Dental Medicine (DDM).

Do foreign students need special permission to study dentistry in the Philippines?

Yes. Besides admission to the university and a student visa, foreign students need a Certificate of Eligibility for Admission to the dental course from CHED.

Can a foreigner practise dentistry in the Philippines after graduating?

Only after passing the licensure examination, and a foreigner can sit it only if their own country lets Filipino dentists practise on the same basis as its citizens.

Can I specialise after the DMD?

Yes. UP Manila's College of Dentistry offers a Master of Science in Dentistry in orthodontics.