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 qualifications (diploma in dental medicine, certificate/diploma of specialisation, certificate of conformity of the professional qualification with the Directive issued by the competent authority or certificate of acquired rights 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 in dental medicine, certificate/diploma of specialisation, certificate of conformity of the professional qualification with the Directive issued by the competent authority or certificate of acquired rights 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 independent 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)
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 practitioners according to the automatic 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 automatic 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 dental practitioner/doctor of dental medicine)
- 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 automatic recognition system:
- Proof of professional qualification asset out in point 5.3.2. of Annex V of the Directive 2005/36 EC (a certificate from the competent authority of the applicant’s EU/EEA country of origin attesting that this evidence of formal qualifications is precisely the one covered by the Directive may be issued)
- certificate from the competent authority of the applicant’s EU/EEA country of origin confirming that the professional qualification meets the minimum training requirements set out in Article 34 (Specialist dental training) Directive 2005/36 EC
- certificate of acquired rights from the competent authority of the applicant’s EU/EEA country of origin when the professional qualification does not satisfy the minimum training conditions referred to in Article 34 of the Directive 2005/36 EC where the training commenced before the reference date referred to in point 5.3.2. of the Directive 2005/36 EC, and the holder of the professional qualification has effectively and lawfully been engaged in the activities in question for at least three consecutive years during the five years prior to the date of issue of the certificate
- in case the applicant’s professional qualification acquired outside the EU/EEA has already been recognised by another EU/EEA country, the application must be accompanied by:
- evidence that the EU/EEA country has recognised the professional qualification obtained in a third country and has established the minimum training conditions referred to in Articles 34 and the programme set out in point 5.3.1. of Annex V of the Directive
- certificate from the same EU/EEA country attesting that the applicant has actually and lawfully practised the professional activity as a medical doctor or medical specialist in that EU/EEA country for at least three years.
- 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
- diploma supplement
- study curriculum valid at the time of completion of the studies
- 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 EZ:
- proof that they are of good character or repute
- evidence that the competent authority of the applicant’s EU/EEA country of origin did not prohibit the applicant from practising the profession as a doctor or specialist of dental medicine due to serious professional misconduct or criminal offence (these documents may be replaced by a statement 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
Fees
EUR 1 464.32 for costs incurred by the Croatian Dental Chamber in the implementation of the procedure for the recognition of foreign professional qualifications under the automatic recognition system.
EUR 795.10 for costs incurred by the Croatian Medical 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:
- EUR 993.88 for the institution
- EUR 198.78 for a mentor
- Compensation measure — 6-12 months’ deadline:
- EUR 1 722.73 for the institution
- EUR 331.29 for a mentor
- Compensation measure — 1-3 years’ deadline:
- EUR 1 722.73 for the institution (per year)
- 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 for the registration fee for membership in the Croatian Dental Chamber: the registration fee is not charged
EUR 106.01 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
Competent authority and regulations
Croatian Dental Chamber (Hrvatska komora dentalne medicine)
Ksaver 200a, 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)
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.
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
