Work as a dentist in the Netherlands: BIG and BI-test (2026)

• A dental degree from outside the EEA and Switzerland that allows you to practise as a dentist where you trained.
• Dutch at B2+ from a BIG-listed institute (Babel, NedLes, BGB Academy, Elycio Talen or VU-NT2); the KNMT stresses this applies to all foreign dentists.
• English reading at B2, shown by IELTS 5.5 to 6.0, TOEFL 72 to 94, Cambridge 160 to 179 or EnglishScore.
• Do not send your dental syllabus up front; the BIG register asks dentists for it when needed.
• A place in an ACTA BI-test round, which ACTA opens only to candidates who have submitted language certificates (or passed the old AKV test).
• Before treating patients: a Dutch radiology certificate and hepatitis B titre evidence, according to the KNMT.
• Specialists: a separate RTS application for orthodontics or oral and maxillofacial surgery.

Check your route with the route finder

• BIGBIG register (CIBG)

  Doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists and other regulated professions

  How to register with the BIG

1. 1

   Reach Dutch B2+ and English B2

   Dentists are at university level in the BIG register's language table. Get your B2+ certificate from a listed institute and an English reading certificate at B2. Time them so they are still valid when an ACTA round becomes available.
2. 2

   Submit the application on mijn.bigregister.nl

   Send your diploma, course overview, passport and declaration of competence with your language certificates, and keep the syllabus ready for when it is requested. The country guide explains certification, translation and the free consultation hour that apply to every BIG profession.
3. 3

   Register with ACTA through the CIBG

   Once your file is accepted you are invited to register and pay the €1,500 test contribution. ACTA then opens its Canvas courses with preparation material. If a round is full you wait for the next; the BIG register says a refund may be possible if you cannot take part.
4. 4

   Train on the Simodont and revise basic sciences

   The roadmap names Simodont practice and ACTA's Canvas environment as the core of preparation. The written part covers both basic and clinical knowledge, so revise anatomy, pharmacology and pathology as well as restorative work. Read the BIG register's assessment document for dentists to see the set skills topics.
5. 5

   Sit the written and skills tests at ACTA

   Both parts take place in Amsterdam. Results follow within 3 to 6 weeks and go to the dental subcommittee of the CBGV, made up of practising dentists and educators.
6. 6

   Complete any courses the CBGV advises

   The CBGV advises within 12 weeks of your result. If your training differs too much, it may advise courses or internships; the roadmap notes that sometimes many are needed. You arrange and pay for them yourself.
7. 7

   Register as a tandarts

   With your certificate of competence, register for €85. Your registration is conditional for 3 months while a BIG-registered dentist supervises you, then becomes definitive.
8. 8

   Meet the KNMT practice requirements

   The KNMT lists a Dutch radiology course and certificate, proof of hepatitis B antibodies (available through the GGD) and registration with the Belastingdienst by your employer. KNMT membership is optional but covers the patient complaints procedure, and its Academy runs an 'At home in the Dutch dialogue' course on patient communication.
9. 9

   Apply to the RTS for a specialist title

   Orthodontist and oral and maxillofacial surgeon titles are registered by the RTS, separately from your basic registration. The roadmap estimates about €2,285 for specialist recognition and registration, plus about €750 if an adaptation internship is required.

• BI-test for dentists: written basic and clinical knowledge

  A written test at ACTA covering basic dental sciences and clinical dentistry at Dutch graduate level. Study material is provided through ACTA's Canvas courses after you register.

  Read the guide

• BI-test for dentists: skills test

  A practical test on set subjects at ACTA. The roadmap says practising with the Simodont simulator is an important part of preparation.

  Read the guide

• Rounds, fee and capacity

  Two rounds a year at ACTA; the fee is €1,500. The BIG register says 2026 places are full and that you may not be able to join the next round.

• Dutch radiology certificate

  Not part of the BI-test, but the KNMT lists completion of a Dutch radiology course as a requirement for working as a dentist.

• Dentists need Dutch at B2+, which is above B2 and below C1, because the BIG register classes dentistry at university (wo) level.
• The Staatsexamen NT2 does not certify B2+; use Babel Language Institute, NedLes, BGB Academy, Elycio Talen or VU-NT2.
• English reading at B2: IELTS 5.5 to 6.0, TOEFL 72 to 94, Cambridge 160 to 179, or EnglishScore.
• Chairside Dutch is demanding. The KNMT Academy's 'At home in the Dutch dialogue' course focuses on communicating with Dutch patients.
• Language certificates must be no more than two years old when you apply, so watch the date if you wait for an ACTA round.

Estimate your total cost

• Dutch to B2+: the BIG register's average is one and a half to two years.
• ACTA test rounds: two a year, with 2026 full, so the wait for a seat can exceed a year.
• BI-test results within 3 to 6 weeks; CBGV advice within 12 weeks of the result.
• Advised courses or internships: from months up to three years, according to the roadmap.
• After registration: 3 months under supervision, plus the radiology course and hepatitis B check before independent work.

We could not confirm a national pay scale for dentists from an official source. Most dentists work in general practices, where pay is agreed with the practice, often as a salary or a share of turnover. Ask for the pay basis in writing and check it against the IND salary threshold if you need a permit.

• General dental practices, the main employers; the KNMT runs a Dentistry Job Bank and a members' CV bank.
• Dental chains and group practices; if you need a highly skilled migrant permit, check that the practice is an IND-recognised sponsor.
• Hospitals and ACTA for special-care, specialist and teaching roles.
• The KNMT provides checklists for salaried employment, self-employment and starting a practice.
• If recognition fails, dental hygienist is an Article 34 alternative, but the 4-year course has a numerus fixus with selection, often by lottery, and foreign dental training often differs too much for exemptions.

• Turnover-based pay can make it hard to prove a fixed salary above the IND threshold, which in 2026 is €5,942 a month for a highly skilled migrant aged 30 or over. Agree a guaranteed salary in the contract if you need a permit.
• The KNMT reminds non-EU dentists that IND and work authorisation rules apply on top of BIG registration. The Netherlands country guide sets out the permit options in full.

1. 1

   A Gulf licence does not shorten the ACTA queue or replace the BI-test.

2. 2

   Gulf private clinics often focus on cosmetic and restorative work. The written test covers basic sciences and the full clinical range, so revise areas you have not practised.

3. 3

   Bring treatment logbooks and case lists; the CBGV can weigh documented experience when it advises on extra courses.

4. 4

   A Gulf specialist registration in orthodontics or oral surgery is assessed by the RTS, after basic registration. Ask the RTS before you apply whether your Gulf specialty has a Dutch equivalent.

5. 5

   Get a certificate of current professional status from each Gulf licensing authority shortly before you register; it must be under three months old.

• Application plan with every step, fee and deadline

• Document checklist tailored to you, and a review of each document before upload

• Timeline built around the regulator's closure windows and document validity periods

• Help completing the application forms accurately and consistently

• Support with profession-specific evidence, such as the HCPC standards of proficiency mapping

• Guidance on certificates of good standing, references and certified translations

• Preparation for identity checks and declarations on health and character

• Tracking your application and help responding to regulator requests

• Next steps after the decision: exams, adaptation, PIN or licence and your first job

Regulators make all registration decisions and set all fees. Our fee is separate from the regulator's fees, exam fees and translation costs.

What our registration and licensing support includesPackages and fees