Dentistry Regulation in Spain


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Dentists in Spain are mostly private, and publicly funded dental care is only available in emergencies. This means that there are a lot of private practices all competing with one another and consequently most are trying to outdo their rivals by offering the best possible treatment. This does however mean that these practices are not formally regulated by the government, so it is imperative that you make sure that any dentist you are considering is properly regulated and qualified.

Qualifications of dentists in Spain

Every practising dentist in Spain should be registered with the Spanish Dental Association (officially the Consejo General de Colegios de Odontólogos y Estomatólogos). This is located in Madrid and is updated daily, though any registering dentist must also register in their local area. In order to be on this register the dentist must have obtained a degree from a Spanish university officially recognised by the association, or must have a diploma awarded in an officially recognised European Union country. This degree or diploma must count as a primary dentist qualification. There are a number of these but you must find out which the dentist has, and then research to ensure that it is a genuine qualification. A medical health provider can usually do this for you, although equally you can contact the Spanish Dental Association.


Accreditation of dental practices in Spain

Although there is no formal regulation of dentistry in Spain, a dentist who wishes to start a practice must make sure it meets several minimum requirements. These include sterilisation, prevention of infection, necessary fire precautions, appropriate facilities such as toilets and waiting rooms and emergency lighting. Generally you will want to make sure any practice you are travelling the 700-odd miles to be treated in rises above the bare minimum. This then comes down to accreditation by one of the appropriate standards boards. As previously stated any practice which has appropriate accreditation will usually proudly display this, but you must be sure to find out. Ideally you will want to find an appropriately qualified dentist and an suitably accredited practice as this will guarantee some of the best possible treatment, but generally either/or will give you a high quality of treatment.

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