If your qualification is not prescribed,

then you have two choices

If your qualification is not prescribed, you can either:

1. sit an examination
2. apply to have your overseas, non-prescribed qualifications, training and experience assessed.

You can sit an examination (NZDREX)

• If you want to register as a dentist, and you do not have a prescribed qualification, you can sit the New Zealand Dentist Registration Examination.
• The examination consists of two parts, written and clinical. You must pass the written examination before you can sit the clinical examination.
• The Exam is The New Zealand Dentist Registration Examination

(Please note that that are Two Different Types of Qualifying Examination)

1. One to qualify to work as a General Dentist
2. One to qualify and work as a Dentist in a Particular Speciality/Dental Specialist.

We will see each one separately. Also, see the see flow chart and the end of this slide.

How to Qualify to Work As a “General Dentist”

in New Zealand

If you want to register as a general dentist, and you do not have a prescribed qualification, you can undertake the New Zealand Dentist Registration Examination (NZDREX). This is done through the National Dental Examining Board of Canada.

Latest Modification:

In 2015, the Council outsourced its NZDREX assessments to the National Dental Examining Board of Canada (NDEB). NDEB is the official dental body of Canada. So, NZDREX candidates now have to pass the NDEB equivalency process.

This essentially means that the New Zealand Dentist Registration Examination now follows the exam and registration procedures followed by the Canadian dental board. The NDEB qualifying has 3 steps: 

• an assessment of your fundamental knowledge (AFK)

• an assessment of your clinical judgment (ACJ)

• an assessment of your clinical skills (ACS).

We have previously discussed all the steps involved in NDEB exams. You can see all the steps for qualifying NDEB Exams with all the official links here.

NDEB EXAMS IN CANADA

Of all the foreign destinations that a Dental Graduate can look forward to settle as a Dentist, CANADA is perhaps the most popular one right now . The reason for this can be many but the 3 main reasons are : The well balanced & developed society of Canada .

For this,  you do not need to consult with New Zealand dental council. For the NDEB exams, you will need to directly contact the Canadian Board. Just follow the process required to qualify the NDEB exams successfully.

Once you complete the NDEB exams and qualify it successfully, you will automatically qualify the NZDREX equivalency process.

But please understand that Qualifying NDEB (Which means you are also qualified for NZDREX equivalency) does not mean that you are now registered to work as a General Dentist in New Zealand.

The next step is to meet the fitness requirements & English language requirements as per the New Zealand Dental Council.

Only when you successfully complete the fitness & language requirements (along with NZDREX equivalency via NDEB), then only you will be officially allowed to practice in New Zealand as a general dentist.

Check out the sequence of actions that you need to follow for registering in New Zealand as a General Dentist 

(The flow chart also provides the steps in a sequential manner with the official links)

Suppose you already have a Specialist Degree in One of the Dental Streams, then what are the steps needed to practice as a dental specialist in New Zealand?

See the next slide for all the details