Admission requirements
To study dentistry, oral and maxillofacial medicine, you must have the general university entrance qualification or an equivalent certificate.
- If the Abitur was obtained abroad, you can check the university entrance qualification at www.anabin.de.
- Sufficient German language skills at C1 level must be demonstrated.
- A theoretical lateral entry is possible if there are available study places.
Details
The degree programme in Dental, Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine at the University of Witten/Herdecke prepares you optimally for a career as a dentist by combining theory and practice from the very beginning. The training includes, in addition to teaching the classical subject matter, a specialisation in disability-oriented dentistry.
The course is divided into preclinical and clinical phases and lasts a total of ten semesters. Alongside the classical theoretical content, particular emphasis is placed on practical experience, which takes place, among other things, through clinical traineeships in various dental institutions and social projects.
In this context, you learn to consider treatment cases holistically, supported by an experienced dentist who oversees the therapy steps. In addition, students acquire knowledge in professionally relevant topics such as ergonomics and practice management. The course concludes with the state dental examination, which leads to licensure as a dentist.
There are numerous opportunities to participate in projects such as the Nepal Project, which implements practical oral hygiene instruction with vulnerable population groups.
Advisory Service
Have questions about Academic Programs Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine? Ask your question here, even anonymously. An employee of the institution Witten/Herdecke University or the editorial team will answer you.
Hi Tara,
good news — Witten/Herdecke isn't your only option. Full dentistry at a private university is rare in Germany, but there are currently three private universities offering the complete dental degree (Staatsexamen / state licence to practise), and all three are NC-free: none admits by grade cutoff. They select through their own personal selection procedure instead.
Witten/Herdecke University (Witten) — the programme you're looking at. 10 semesters, personal selection procedure instead of an NC. https://www.privathochschulen.net/en/courses/health-sciences/medicine/17332
Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane / MHB (Brandenburg an der Havel) — explicitly without NC and independent of your school grades. 11 semesters, three-stage selection (online application, document review, personal selection day). It has a dedicated admission route for people from dental professions (dental assistants, hygienists, technicians), and practical experience counts in your favour. https://www.privathochschulen.net/en/courses/health-sciences/medicine/18377
HMU Health and Medical University Erfurt (Erfurt) — a newer programme, also Staatsexamen, admission via a two-stage personal selection procedure (no central NC). The course page is currently only in German: https://www.privathochschulen.net/en/courses/health-sciences/medicine/18419
A few things worth flagging, especially with your dental-practice background:
All three are taught in German and require German at C1 level. That's the real language hurdle, not English — worth mentioning because our English page can make it look English-taught.
They're full-time, on-campus programmes (not distance or part-time), and tuition is high — roughly €99,000 (Witten) to €132,000 (MHB) over the full programme, per our listings. Please confirm current fees and intake directly with each university.
Your experience as a dental practice manager is a genuine plus: these selection procedures weigh motivation, manual/hands-on skills and practical experience — exactly what a grade cutoff ignores.
One thing to keep in mind: we're privathochschulen.net, an independent comparison portal — not the admissions office. For binding details on the selection process, deadlines and recognition of any qualifications, it's best to contact the universities directly.
You can also compare these and filter by subject yourself here: https://www.privathochschulen.net/en/studyfinder
Best of luck with your application!