Study Dentistry Abroad from South Africa: Costs, Countries and the Way Back (2027)
10.10.2026
Short answer
Study dentistry abroad from South Africa: the four BChD schools at home, English-taught dentistry in Sofia from €10,000 a year, and registration with the HPCSA.
Study dentistry abroad from South Africa
In short: South African students study dentistry abroad at English-taught universities in Europe. The Medical University of Sofia charges €10,000 tuition a year in 2026. The degree takes five years, and Medschool Experts arranges the place at one of more than 25 partner universities.
The bottleneck at home is the size of the classes. Dentistry is taught at four universities, and each admits a limited number of first-year students. The places are filled from a pool of applicants with strong marks in Mathematics, Physical Sciences and Life Sciences, and many of them apply to medicine as well.
| Question | South Africa | English-taught dentistry in Europe |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Four dental schools: Pretoria, Witwatersrand, Western Cape, Sefako Makgatho | Medical University of Sofia and other partner universities |
| Degree | BChD, five years | Dentistry degree, taught in English |
| After the degree | One year of community service | HPCSA verification and registration for South Africa, or practice in Europe |
| Cost to the family | South African tuition and living costs | €10,000 tuition a year in Sofia, plus living costs |
Study dentistry in Sofia
In short: The Faculty of Dental Medicine of the Medical University of Sofia teaches dentistry in English. Lectures, practicals and examinations are in English, the academic year starts in autumn, and tuition is €10,000 a year in 2026.
I studied dental medicine in the English programme in Sofia from 2015 to 2021, and I started at 24. The preclinical years are lectures, laboratory work and phantom heads, the clinical years are patients. Bulgarian is a subject on the timetable from the first year, because the clinic is where you need it.
The degree is a European one, and it opens the way to work in Europe as well as in South Africa. That choice is worth keeping open for six years.
Medschool Experts
Study dentistry abroad from South Africa
Medschool Experts places students at our 25+ partner universities abroad. 30 minutes, free and without obligation: we check your matric results and tell you where you can start next.
Request a free consultationRegistration in South Africa afterwards
In short: Dentists with a degree from abroad register with the Health Professions Council of South Africa. The Council verifies the degree at source, and the steps for foreign-qualified practitioners follow. Plan the file from the first year: curriculum, transcripts and proof of clinical hours.
The registration route for doctors, with every fee and the order of the steps, is in our HPCSA guide. The principle is the same for dentists: documents first, in the right order, and nothing older than the Council allows.
Timeline
- January: matric results. Free consultation and choice of university.
- February to May: application file, certified copies, legalisation of the certificate.
- June to August: admission letter, student visa, accommodation.
- September or October: first lecture.
Countries, costs and the full timetable for medicine are in our guide to studying medicine abroad from South Africa. South African applicants reach us fastest through the South Africa page.
The author's view
I am a dentist, and I started in Sofia at 24 in 2015. What I learned there I use whenever I read a case, and none of it depended on the country that issued the certificate.
My view: dentistry rewards the hands you train in the preclinical years. Choose the faculty by how early you work on real patients, and keep your route home in one file from day one.
Summary
South Africa has four dental schools with small classes. English-taught dental schools in Europe take fee-paying students, and the Medical University of Sofia charges €10,000 a year.
You register with the HPCSA when you return, and the degree also works in Europe.
Conclusion
Send us your matric results, and request your free consultation. You will know within 30 minutes where you can start.
Study dentistry abroad from South Africa: 6 questions and answers
How many dental schools are there in South Africa?
Four: the University of Pretoria, the University of the Witwatersrand, the University of the Western Cape and Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University. All award the BChD.
How long does it take to become a dentist in South Africa?
Five years of BChD and one year of community service.
Can South Africans study dentistry abroad?
Yes. Universities in Europe admit South African students to English-taught dental programmes. Medschool Experts arranges the place and the application.
What does dentistry cost in Europe?
Tuition at the Medical University of Sofia is €10,000 a year in 2026. Living costs come on top and depend on the city.
Is the degree taught in English?
Yes. The programmes we place students in are taught in English. You learn the local language alongside, because patient contact in the clinical years happens in it.
Can I work as a dentist in South Africa with a degree from abroad?
Yes. Foreign-qualified dentists register with the Health Professions Council of South Africa after verification of the degree.
Further reading
What students say about Medschool Experts
Over 500 placements at 25+ partner universities across 10+ countries. See how our students experienced their path into medical school abroad in our student stories.
About the author
Marcel Kloos
Founder and owner of Medschool Experts, federally recognised dentist
Marcel Kloos is the founder and owner of Medschool Experts, a placement agency for medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and pharmacy degrees abroad. Since 2021 the team has secured more than 500 study places at 25+ partner universities in Europe and worldwide.
Study medicine abroad: Marcel's own path
Born in Stuttgart, Marcel started his degree late: at 24 he enrolled at the Medical University of Sofia, Faculty of Dental Medicine, and graduated in 2021 from the English-language programme. He went through the same steps his clients face today — nostrification of school certificates, entrance interviews, finding a flat in Sofia and later the recognition of a foreign degree. He is a federally recognised dentist.
What Marcel does at Medschool Experts
Today Marcel lives in Bern and runs Medschool Experts full-time. He visits every partner university in person, negotiates placement agreements directly with faculties and deans, and leads the free consultations in which applicants learn at which university they can start next semester. His YouTube channel on studying medicine abroad has helped thousands of applicants compare universities, costs and recognition.
Topics Marcel writes about
- Study medicine abroad independent of your high school diploma grades: universities, costs and admission
- Study dentistry, veterinary medicine or pharmacy in Europe in English
- Tuition fees and living costs at medical schools in Europe and worldwide
- Recognition of foreign medical degrees in the EU, Switzerland, the UK and the US
- Transferring between medical schools and returning home into a higher semester
All articles by Marcel Kloos are based on first-hand visits to the universities and conversations with current students. Book a free consultation to discuss your own path.
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