FAQ’s For Dentists Aiming for UAE

1) How can I apply for UAE license?

You have to understand that UAE is composed of 7 emirates, like 7 small states. They are

Dubai – For which you have to appear DHA exam and then you can practice only in Dubai and not anywhere else.

AbuDhabi  and Al Ain –  For which you have to appear for HAAD exam and then you can practice in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain only.

Fujairah, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah and Ajman – You have to appear for MOH and then you can practice only in the above mentioned 4  emirates only.

So think about which emirate you wish to practice and then accordingly prepare for the exam and the process. Each examination has its own site and you have to go through a tedious process to get selected.

2) Can I practice in all emirates?

License in One Emirate is not valid in other. You can transfer you license if you get one from one emirate to another, and that is also a long process but its doable.

3) Which emirate is best to apply?

Dubai and Abu Dhabi are more liberal Emirates then the rest. You will have better transportation and Social life here then anywhere else. But then the expenses also are 3 times higher than other emirates. Dubai is the most expensive of all. So research where you want to live. You can visit this site Dubizzle.com to get an idea about the rents going on in each emirate.

4) What is the living cost in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah?

If you are coming alone to practice then obviously you can share an apartment and save a lot. But with a family dependent on you it is expensive. A small family living in a decent 1 BHK with all expensive included will require 8000-10,000AED monthly. Other expenses then will be based on your lifestyle.

5) How much will I earn In Dubai?

This is the most famously sorted after question. It all depends in which clinic or Hospital you get a job and which Specialist you are. Of late a lot of Dental Manpower is available in Market and so salary is been decreased a lot. General dentists should aim for 10000AED or Higher and Specialists should aim for 15,000AED and higher.

6) What are the likely expenses I am to encounter?

Rent will eat a large chunk of your salary if you are the sole earner in your family. A studio costs around 4000 – 7000AED Depending on its size and area you choose to live.

1 BHK around 5000-8000AED

2 BHK 6500-10000AED

Electricity bills – between 150 – 350 AED per month

Grocery – 600 – 1000 AED Per month for family of 2-4

Conference fees – yes mandatorily you need 40 CME points to renew your license every year – 3000AED (maybe borne by your employing clinic)

Transportation cost – If you travel by Metro – around 200 AED

If you have your own vehicle then first, you need to get driving licence which will cost around 6000AED, if you pass in first attempt (Driving  test is like doing another graduation in UAE) and then the vehicle cost.

Miscellaneous expenses.

7) How many clinics can I work in at the same time?

There will be your primary clinic which hires you . If that clinic gives you No Objection Certificate then and only then you may work in maximum of 2 clinics as part time.

P.S – Clinics don’t like to give NOC.

8) Will my visa be sponsored?

You can ask the company to sponsor your visa. If a company is sponsoring your Visa, they are also obliged to give you Malpractice Insurance, Health Insurance and bear your License Expenses. This is the labour law and they have to do it. If they choose to not do this you can remind them of labour law. Please don’t get exploited.

9) What all documents will be required?

All your BDS certificates, degree, Internship completion, Experience letter from your employers, log book of past 3 years, attempt certificate, Registration certificate and  most importantly Transcript from your university.

10) What is the procedure to apply?

For Dubai you have to visit www.dha.gov.ae

For Ministry of Health visit http://www.moh.gov.ae/en/pages/default.aspx?sw=1

For HAAD exam visit https://www.haad.ae/haad/tabid/633/Default.aspx

For other Gulf countries please visit their sites.

In each of these sites you will be asked to create your user ID and Password

Then you will have to create a profile with your personal information and Passport number and upload all your documents. You can scan and upload them.



Once that is done you will have to submit your application and pay application fees which will be around 200-250 AED in CREDIT card  and once payment is done then and only then your application will be processed.

Make sure you upload all your documents properly because DHA will give you only 2 chances to attach documents that they ask for, failure to do so will result in rejection of your application. If you are rejected 5 times then your profile will be banned for a year.

Once your application is accepted,which will take 2 to 6 weeks, you will be asked to pay for PSV that is Primary source Verification. IT is done through a Singapore Agency and they charge a cool 1000 AED for that. They will call at your mentioned work place or visit it to confirm that you are indeed working where you mentioned. Once they are satisfied, should take around 10- 20 days, they will submit their report to DHA or HAAD or MOH and then you will be asked to select your Prometric Exam date.

You have to pay 1000 AED for appearing exam. You are allowed to appear 3 times.

What is Prometric EXAM AND HOW TO STUDY FOR IT?

This is perhaps one of the most important question hovering on your mind.

To learn how to study for Dental Prometric Exam, click here.

Prometric exam is Controlled by US and it’s a computer based exam. They have exam centers all over the world and you can choose your exam date. Till 2015, 70 questions were asked in prometric exam for general dentistry. But from 2016 its 100 MCQs with 60 percent passing.

Trust me, exam has become tricky and strict. You have to carry your passport in your examination center.

Exam results are declared as Pass or Fail in 5 days.

Once you clear your exam you are given an Eligibility letter with which you can hunt for a job.

11) How many months does it take to give exam?

Depends how fast the exam authority is processing your application. From date 1, it should take 45- 60 days before you are asked to appear for exam.

12) What is the cost of the examination?

Till the time you get eligibility letter, you will shell out atleast 2300 AED as a first time applicant.

13) Do I need to get documents attested?

DHA does not require attestation of documents. MOH and HAAD require attestation from External Affairs and UAE Embassy from your home country. Cost of that will come around $500 – $700 depending how many documents you are getting attested.

14) I am an MDS, How do I get specialist license?

If your dental degree is from India, Pakistan or Asian country you cannot get a specialist license till you complete 3 years post your masters degree. You can ofcourse get a GP license and upgrade your license later on. DHA mentions Tiers of countries which are directly eligible for specialist license. Please go through their manual.

For specialist license, you have give 100 MCQ prometric exam of your speciality. The passing percentage is 70% in DHA.

15) Once I clear the exam then what next?

  • Clearing the exam is not the end. It’s the beginning of a struggle to hunt for jobs in this extremely competitive market. Just as finding a needle in haystack is absolute waste of time, hunting for  job without having proper knowledge of existing market condition is a waste. Important is RIGHTFUL AND PROPER GUIDANCE IN CORRECT DIRECTION. Wise guidance can take you leaps ahead in a smooth way. 

  • Being in Dubai for past 4 years now and having keen understanding of the job market and more importantly offer letters (which if not understood properly may lead to exploitation some times from employers) I shall be happy to guide you in your doubts and queries. Click here to know more.

16) How long is my eligibility letter valid?

Your eligibility letter is valid for one year in which you must find a job. Or else it will expire and you will most probably have to give exam again.

17) Can I work part time in Dubai and Part time in my home country?

Yes you can, depending upon your understanding with the clinic that employs you.

18) How is the transportation like in UAE?

As mentioned earlier, Getting a driving license is a graduation in itself. It takes minimum 45 days to clear driving test if you pass in 1st attempt. Otherwise people are trying since 6 months to 1 year too. If you have European or American license you just need to get registered. NO driving test for you.

Travelling by metro in Dubai is very convenient. Other emirates don’t have Metro so taxi is best option.

19) Once I get a job, what are things that I need to keep in mind?

Once you get a job,
You are on probation period for 6 months. Which means that you can leave the job or the employer fires you and no one is to pay penalty.

If you leave the job within 1 year of joining, and your understanding is not good with your employer, you can be banned for one year. So please don’t do that.

You are eligible for one full month of paid leave once you complete 1 year.

No one can make you work for more than 8 hrs per day so read and sign your offer document carefully.