Dental Schools in Europe Taught in English: The Full List

Which dental schools in Europe teach in English?

Each university below runs its dentistry degree in English (five or six years, depending on the country):

• Hungary: Semmelweis University (Budapest), University of Debrecen, University of Pécs, University of Szeged
• Czech Republic: Charles University First Faculty of Medicine (Prague), Charles University Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Masaryk University (Brno)
• Poland: Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Wroclaw Medical University, Medical University of Lodz, Medical University of Lublin
• Romania: Carol Davila University (Bucharest), Iuliu Hatieganu University (Cluj-Napoca), Grigore T. Popa University (Iasi), University of Oradea
• Bulgaria: Medical Universities of Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna
• Lithuania and Latvia: Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (Kaunas), Vilnius University, Riga Stradins University
• Croatia and Slovakia: University of Zagreb, University of Rijeka, Comenius University (Bratislava)
• Italy: Sapienza University of Rome and the University of Siena, both through the IMAT
• Spain, Cyprus and Ireland: Universidad Europea (Madrid), European University Cyprus (Nicosia), Trinity College Dublin, University College Cork, RCSI (Dublin)

Group sizes at dental schools in Europe vary widely. Rijeka admits a maximum of 12 English-taught dental students a year, Szeged enrolled 64 students in its English programme for 2026/27, and Italy's two programmes offered 60 places in total (49 EU and 11 non-EU). Most dentistry schools in Europe on this list are public universities charging international tuition; Universidad Europea, European University Cyprus and RCSI are private. Dental programmes in northern Cyprus are not recognised in the EU, so leave them off your list.

Many of these universities also teach medicine in English, which is covered in our list of European medical schools.

What is the best dental school in Europe?

Rankings answer a different question from the one most applicants ask. In the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm is ranked first in the world for dentistry, and ACTA in Amsterdam is also near the top. Neither teaches its undergraduate dentistry degree in English: ACTA's bachelor is taught in Dutch and Karolinska's programme in Swedish.

For an international student, the best dental school in Europe is one that teaches in English, is recognised where you plan to practise, gives you plenty of supervised patient work and fits your budget. A mid-ranked school with strong clinical training can serve your career better than a famous name you cannot study at.

How should you shortlist European dental schools?

• Start with recognition. If you plan to work in the UK, check how the General Dental Council treats EU degrees when you graduate, not just today.
• Match the admission format to your strengths. Semmelweis and Charles University set written science tests and interviews, Romanian universities assess your school grades, and Italy uses the IMAT.
• Ask about clinical training. Find out when you first treat patients, how many you see and what local language level clinics require.
• Cost the whole degree. Six years in Romania or Croatia means an extra year of living costs, and some schools (such as Semmelweis) charge material fees on top of tuition.
• Spread your applications. Apply to three to five schools across at least two admission formats.

For the bigger decision of whether dentistry abroad is right for you, start with our guide to studying dentistry abroad.

Frequently asked questions

How many dental schools in Europe teach dentistry in English?

More than 30 universities across about a dozen European countries run a full dentistry degree in English. Hungary, Poland, Romania and the Czech Republic have the most options, while Italy, Spain and Cyprus have only one or two each. Programmes open and close, so always confirm the current intake on the university's own website.

Are degrees from European dental schools recognised in the UK?

The General Dental Council recognises dental degrees listed under EU Directive 2005/36/EC, under arrangements the UK government extended in 2023 for five years. The GDC says it does not yet know what will apply after that period. Graduates without recognition can register through the Overseas Registration Exam or the Licence in Dental Surgery.

A strong shortlist reflects your grades, your budget and where you want to practise. To build yours with a counsellor who knows how each of these universities selects students, Apply for a Strategy Call.