Dentist trained outside of the EU/EEA

Only persons duly legalised by Valvira are allowed to practise as dentists. Valvira grants the right to practise the profession of dentist on application to dentists trained in Finland and abroad.

Steps in the legalisation process:

  1. Recognition of dentistry degree
  2. Completing practical training at a health care operating unit
  3. Completing competence examinations at a university
  4. Restricted practice rights with a limited licence for at least one year
  5. Legalisation (right to practise dentistry independently in Finland)

Recognition of dentistry degree

Fill in the application form (pdf). Send your application with attachments to Valvira. If you submit all the relevant documents with your application, the application process will be quicker. The processing period is calculated from the time when Valvira has received all the required documents and reports. Please do not send your application or attachments by e-mail in advance, because this will slow down the processing of your application.

The processing of an application in Valvira is subject to a fee. A fee is also charged for a withdrawn application. By submitting an application, you agree to the fees. Please check the prices at end of the instructions, under “Fees”. 

Send your completed application and appendices by mail to:
National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health
VALVIRA
PO Box 43
FI-00521 Helsinki

You must supply officially certified copies of the documents listed below (1–4). Copies can be officially certified by a notary public in Finland or in another EU or EEA Member State, or by a Finnish mission in other countries. Copies issued by a notary public outside the EU/EEA and furnished with an Apostille or Grand Legalisation are also acceptable. You must submit to Valvira, by mail, the copies that bear the original stamp and signature of the notary public or Finnish mission.

Please attach the following documents to your application:

  1. Passport, identity card issued in an EU/EEA Member State, alien’s passport or refugee travel document (proof of your identity and nationality). Please read the instructions on our website if you do not have a Finnish personal identity number.
  2. Degree certificate and the official e-mail address and mailing address of your educational institution
    If you give the contact details, Valvira may verify the legitimacy of your degree. This verification may delay the processing of your application. You do not need to submit an officially certified copy if Valvira verifies your degree directly with your educational institution. If Valvira is unable to obtain the required information directly from your educational institution, you need to submit your degree certificate, verified by Apostille or Grand Legalisation.
    OR
    Have your degree certificate (diploma) legalised in the country where your completed your education, by Apostille or Grand Legalisation. In this procedure, the position of the person who signed the degree certificate and their right to sign that document must be verified. Find out from the foreign ministry or other body in your country of education how to legalise your degree certificate (diploma).
  3. A certificate verifying that your right to practise the profession in question has not been restricted or revoked (e.g. Certificate of Good Standing). This certificate must be no more than three months old when received by Valvira. You must submit such a certificate from every country where you have been legalised to practise your profession. If you have practised your profession in a country where practitioners of that profession are not registered, then you need to submit an affidavit from the competent authority in that country stating that practitioners of your profession are not registered in that country, or some other reliable testimonial of the matter. 
  4. Translations into Finnish, Swedish or English of the documents listed in points 2–3.
    The translations must have been produced by an authorised translator in Finland or in another EU/EEA Member State. Authorised translators in Finland can be found through the online service of the National Agency for Education. If the translator is not an official or authorised translator in an EU/EEA Member State, the translation may nevertheless be acceptable if the translator’s status is confirmed by Apostille or Grand Legalisation.

Valvira may request further clarifications if necessary. The application documents will remain in Valvira, and it is not possible to get them back after a decision has been made. If you request for documents to be returned to you while the application process is ongoing, you must send in replacing documents that meet the formal requirements. This will significantly slow down the processing of your application.

In most cases, the processing period will be at least 4 months. The processing period is calculated from the time when Valvira has received all the required documents. If Valvira has to send you a request for further information or if Valvira has to verify your qualification, then processing your application will take significantly longer.