First option — FREEDOM TO PROVIDE CROSS-BORDER SERVICES

If you are established in an EU/EEA country, you have the freedom to provide services on an occasional and temporary basis, without the obligation of establishment in Croatia or mandatory membership in the Croatian Dental Chamber.

In that case, an online declaration is sent to the competent authority via pisarnica@hkdm.hr, along with a scan of the following documents and a certified translation of the documents done by a court interpreter:

• proof of EU/EEA citizenship
• an attestation certifying that the holder is legally established in an EU/EEA country for the purpose of pursuing the activities
• evidence of no criminal convictions
• proof that the competent authority of the EU/EEA country of establishment has not issued a temporary or permanent ban on the provision of the service
• certificate of the nature and duration of the activity issued by the competent authority of the EU/EEA country of establishment based on previous professional experience
• proof of professional qualification (diploma or certificate of attendance for the completed dental assistant training, certificate on the level of professional qualification referred to in the Directive issued by the competent authority of an EU/EEA country)
• proof of the level of knowledge of the Croatian language for the purpose of practising the profession in Croatia (due to the impact on patient safety)
• information on insurance

Second option — FREEDOM TO ESTABLISH 

If you are established in an EU/EEA country, as a physical or legal person you have the freedom to provide services on a permanent basis, by registering an establishment and delivering the following documents: 

• proof of professional qualifications — diploma or certificate of attendance for the completed dental assistant training, certificate on the level of professional qualification referred to in the Directive issued by the competent authority of an EU/EEA country (certified translation by a court interpreter)
• decision on recognised foreign professional qualification in the Republic of Croatia (certified copy)
• proof of membership and license for work issued by the Croatian Dental Chamber
• proof of citizenship — certified translation by a court interpreter
• marriage certificate or other certificate proving change of name and/or surname (translation)

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Recognition of qualifications

Recognition of qualifications in healthcare and education

The Croatian Dental Chamber carries out the procedure of the recognition of professional qualifications for dental assistant qualification under the general recognition system:

• if the professional qualification was obtained in the EU/EEA and the applicant is an EU/EEA national
  

The application for recognition of the qualification which will be carried out under the general recognition system is submitted via pisarnica@hkdm.hr along with the following documents and their certified translation into Croatian done by a court interpreter:

• proof of formal qualifications or other evidence of completion of formal education (the professional qualification of a dental assistant)
• proof of professional qualification

The application and documentation may be submitted by post or directly to the competent authority or by electronic means referred to above.

Evidence required by the general recognition system shall be submitted to the competent authority by post as certified copies of the original with a translation into Croatian: 

• proof of citizenship
• proof of previously completed education
• proof of formal qualifications or other evidence of successful completion of formal education
  • diploma or certificate
  • curriculum valid at the time of completion of the training programme
• proof of professional training and life-long learning programme
• proof of professional experience
• proof of membership in a foreign dental chamber, if a member
• certificate of competence

The Croatian Dental Chamber, as the competent authority, may request the applicant to provide other evidence in accordance with Annex VII of the Directive 2005/36 EC:

• proof that they are of good character or repute
• proof that the competent authority of the applicant’s EU/EEA country of origin did not prohibit the pursuit of the profession as a dental assistant in the event of serious professional misconduct or criminal offence (such documents may be replaced by a solemn declaration made by the applicant before a competent judicial or administrative authority or before a notary)
• proof that the applicant is insured against the financial risks arising from their professional liability on the territory of the Republic of Croatia or the EU
• power of attorney for receiving documents or power of representation to a person domiciled in the Republic of Croatia, for applicants domiciled abroad
• proof of payment of the fee
  

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Fees

EUR 1 172.78 for costs incurred by the Croatian Dental Chamber in the implementation of the procedure for the recognition of foreign professional qualifications under the general recognition system.

Costs of compensation measure implementation procedure under the general recognition system:

• EUR 795.10 for aptitude test:

• Compensation measure — 6 months’ deadline:

1. EUR 993.88 for the institution
2. EUR 198.78 for a mentor

• Compensation measure — 6-12 months’ deadline:

1. EUR 1 722.73 for the institution
2. EUR 331.29 for a mentor

• Compensation measure — 1-3 years’ deadline:

1. EUR 1 722.73 for the institution (per year)
2. EUR 331.29 for a mentor (per year)

The costs of implementing the compensation measure are the full revenue of the educational/health institution where the candidate performs the compensation measure.

EUR 53.01 for the annual membership fee in the Croatian Dental Chamber

The administrative fee is not paid upon request, decision or complaint.

Payment via online banking

User: Croatian Dental Chamber (Hrvatska komora dentalne medicine)

Account number: HR2023600001101407171

Payment model: HR00

Reference number: OIB (PIN) of the payer

The purpose of the payment: the cost of the procedure for recognition of foreign professional qualifications 

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Competent authority and regulations

Croatian Dental Chamber (Hrvatska komora dentalne medicine)

Kurelčeva 3, 10 000 Zagreb

+385 1 4886 734

pisarnica@hkdm.hr 

Health Care Act (OG 100/18 and 147/20)

Act on Regulated Professions and Recognition of Foreign Professional Qualifications (OG 82/15, 70/19 and 47/20)

General Administrative Procedure Act (OG 47/09 and 110/21)

Ordinance on the Criteria for the Recognition of Foreign Professional Qualifications (OG 89/13) 

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Authorisation

Upon completion of the procedure for the recognition of a foreign professional qualification carried out under the automatic recognition system:

The decision of the Croatian Dental Chamber on the administrative request.

Deadline for obtaining automatic recognition: within 30 days and no later than 3 months from the date of receipt of a duly completed application.

Deadline for obtaining recognition under the general system: within 3 months from the date of receipt of a duly completed application, and may be extended by a maximum of one month if there are reasonable grounds. 

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Legal remedies

You may submit a complaint within 15 days of receipt of the decision to the Croatian Dental Chamber, Kurelčeva 3, 10 000 Zagreb or electronically by sending an e-mail to pisarnica@hkdm.hr.

The complainant must state the decision he is contesting, the name of the professional chamber as a body governed by public law which has adopted the said decision and the reasons for his dissatisfaction with the decision. If the complainant presents new facts and new evidence, it is for the complainant to state why he did not submit those facts and evidence during the proceedings at first instance before the professional chamber.

When the medical professional chamber, as the first-instance body, receives a complaint, it will examine whether the complaint is admissible, timely and made by an authorised person.

If the complaint is not admissible, timely and made by an authorised person, the professional chamber shall dismiss the complaint by a decision.

If the professional chamber does not dismiss the complaint or replace the contested decision with a new one, it will immediately submit the complaint with the case file to the Ministry of Health as the second-instance body.

The Ministry of Health must make a decision on the complaint and deliver it to the party via the first-instance body as soon as possible and no later than 60 days from the date of the submission of the duly-made complaint.

Administrative proceedings may be initiated against the second-instance decision by filing a complaint with the competent Administrative Court (Zagreb, Split, Rijeka or Osijek) within 30 days of the date of receipt of the decision. The complaint shall be filed directly or by post and may also be recorded in the minutes.

Last updated on 8 December 2022