Working as a dentist in Poland

The outflow of young specialists from Poland to Western European countries and the resulting aging of the workforce have created a noticeable shortage of medical personnel. A particularly difficult situation is currently observed in dentistry. Therefore, hiring foreign specialists as dentists in Poland has become common practice. First and foremost, such vacancies are sought by dentists from former USSR countries, as opportunities to earn and grow professionally at home are significantly more limited.

If you have decided to get a job as a dentist in Poland, start by searching for a suitable vacancy. In this, as well as in all further steps, our company will assist you.

Responsibilities of a dentist in a Polish medical institution

In modern dentistry, there are several fields. Depending on the area in which a specialist works, certain responsibilities are assigned to them:

• a dentist-therapist is responsible for the prevention and treatment of teeth, including preparation of the oral cavity for prosthetics;

• the scope of a surgeon includes tooth extraction, removal of prostheses and implants, as well as certain areas of maxillofacial surgery;

• an orthodontist corrects tooth alignment disorders and adjusts dental arches using special devices — braces, plates, aligners, veneers, retainers;

• an orthopedist is responsible for implant placement and installation of prostheses of any configuration.

In all the areas listed above, working as a dentist in Poland requires the ability to read X-rays, CT and MRI results, navigate medications, have skills in maintaining medical documentation, and keep track of emerging technologies and trends in dentistry.

Doctors of this specialization are in demand in both public and private clinics. Vacancies for dentists in Poland are also often found in private dental practices.

5 requirements for dentists applying for jobs in Poland

Applicants from Ukraine and Belarus, in addition to the desire to integrate into modern European medicine, must meet a number of requirements.

1. To obtain employment, a diploma of higher education in the specialty for which the candidate is applying is mandatory.

2. It is important to have not only theoretical knowledge but also practical skills. The minimum required work experience is 3 years within the last 5 years. For applicants from Ukraine, Polish authorities provide an exception: currently, no specialty work experience is required for employment.

3. Proficiency in the Polish language, including medical terminology, is required. To reasonably apply for a dentist position in Poland, the language level must allow the doctor to freely perform professional duties.

4. It is necessary to obtain permission to practice medicine from the Ministry of Health and a dentist’s license from the local authorities.

5. Certain personal qualities are also required: the ability to communicate appropriately with colleagues and patients, consider the interests of the team, take responsibility for one’s work, and strive for continuous professional development.

One of the very first questions foreign specialists planning to work as dentists in Poland ask concerns the nostrification of their educational diploma. In this matter, Polish legislation is extremely applicant-friendly — diploma recognition can be completed after the doctor has already started working at the new workplace.

Key advantages

For those who meet the listed requirements, Polish clinics offer excellent conditions. These include a salary of at least 7,500 PLN gross per month, a regulated working day, and additional payments for overtime and substitutions. It is believed that the dental profession can provide a livelihood for anyone who masters it anywhere in the world. However, in Poland it “pays” better than, for example, in Ukraine, Belarus, and other post-Soviet countries. Here are just a few strong arguments showing why working as a dentist in Poland can become a real breakthrough for Eastern European foreigners, along with a decent social benefits package and full provision of everything necessary for successful professional practice.

• the minimum salary of a junior doctor is 9,736.26 PLN gross per month. At the current exchange rate, this is over €2,200. Under no circumstances can young dentists in the former Soviet republics expect such income;

• modern equipment, instruments, and materials. Dentistry is a medical field that requires high precision and accuracy from the specialist. The more advanced the workplace equipment, the lower the risk of errors;

• a friendly attitude from the employer. Polish clinics genuinely need competent professionals. This means that once a specialist is hired, the employer will create all the conditions necessary to retain them for as long as possible.

Based on the above, we recommend that dentists from Ukraine and Belarus who are dissatisfied with the current situation in their home countries consider relocating to Poland. And our team will help make this move as comfortable as possible.