Are you interested in dental care or subjects related to oral health? If so, you may want to begin preparing for a career as a dental professional.
Students pursuing dentistry usually complete a university-based program that combines scientific study with supervised clinical training. Dental schools may also educate dental hygienists, dental technicians, specialists, and researchers.
Dentistry continues to develop as new research, clinical techniques, and technologies emerge. Prospective students should therefore compare each university’s curriculum, language of instruction, clinical training, admission requirements, and professional recognition before applying.
Europe is home to several highly ranked dental schools. In the 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject for Dentistry, the five institutions below placed among the top 14 worldwide: Karolinska Institutet ranked 1st, the Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam ranked 3rd, King’s College London ranked 5th, the University of Bern ranked 8th, and the University of Gothenburg ranked 14th. Let’s take a look at the top dental schools in Europe!
Top Dental Schools in Europe
1. University of Gothenburg
The University of Gothenburg is a public university in Sweden. Its Institute of Odontology provides education for dentists, dental hygienists, and dental technicians while conducting research in oral health and dentistry.
The Dentistry Program comprises 300 credits over five years and leads to a Master of Science in Dental Surgery. The Dental Hygiene and Dental Technology programs each comprise 180 credits over three years and lead to bachelor’s degrees. These programs are taught entirely in Swedish.
Approximately 600 students study in the institute’s programs, while its doctoral program has approximately 50 students. The institute conducts research in 13 odontological subject areas, supported by government grants, research funds, and external organizations. It also collaborates with universities and dental organizations in Sweden and abroad.
The University of Gothenburg ranked 14th worldwide for dentistry in the 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject. Its combination of professional education, clinical collaboration, and dental research makes it a notable option for students who meet the Swedish-language requirements.
The university has also been placed among the top dental universities in previous international rankings. Applicants should nevertheless consider program language, eligibility requirements, and professional licensing conditions in addition to rankings.
2. Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam
The Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, commonly known as ACTA, is a partnership between the dentistry faculties of the University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. ACTA conducts dental research, offers academic programs, and provides patient care.
ACTA’s Bachelor of Dentistry and Master of Dentistry programs are each three years long, full-time, and taught in Dutch. It also offers an English-taught, three-year, full-time postgraduate master’s program in Oral Health Sciences for qualified dentists, as well as doctoral education through its graduate school.
Clinical education is an important part of the dentistry curriculum. Students treat patients under the supervision of licensed dentists and qualified instructors, allowing them to develop practical skills alongside their academic studies.
ACTA ranked 3rd worldwide for dentistry in the 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject. International applicants should carefully distinguish between its Dutch-taught general dentistry degrees and its English-taught postgraduate Oral Health Sciences program.
3. King’s College London
King’s College London has a strong reputation for teaching and research, and its Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences builds on more than 200 years of dental education, research, and clinical care across its predecessor institutions.
King’s offers undergraduate Dentistry BDS routes, numerous postgraduate master’s programs, and MPhil and Ph.D. research opportunities. Its standard Dentistry BDS is evidence-based and research-led, includes extensive clinical experience, and uses clinical, simulation, and technical facilities.
Dental education and patient care are supported through partnerships with Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. These partnerships give students experience in a large and diverse clinical environment.
King’s ranked 1st in the United Kingdom and 5th worldwide for dentistry in the 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject, supporting its inclusion as one of the top universities globally for the subject.
King’s College London offers both campus-based and blended postgraduate options, although program length, delivery format, and eligibility requirements vary considerably by course.
4. University of Bern
The University of Bern is a public university in Switzerland. It has more than 19,000 enrolled students and is the country’s third-largest university.
The Dental Medicine program lasts five years. It consists of a three-year, 180-ECTS Bachelor of Dental Medicine followed by a two-year, 120-ECTS Master of Dental Medicine. The program is taught in German, and applicants educated at a non-German-speaking institution may need to demonstrate German proficiency at the C1 level.
The first two years are studied alongside human medicine students, while the remaining years place greater emphasis on practical dentistry at the university’s School of Dental Medicine. After completing the master’s program, students must also pass the Swiss federal examination before entering independent primary dental practice. Doctoral study in Dental Medicine is available to eligible graduates.
The Faculty of Medicine’s Strategy 2030 focuses on excellence in teaching, research, and clinical medicine. It emphasizes cooperation with university hospitals, the Bernese Medical Campus, and other institutions to strengthen research-based and practice-relevant education.
The University of Bern ranked 8th worldwide for dentistry in the 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject.
5. Karolinska Institute
Karolinska Institutet specializes in medical and health sciences. Its Department of Dental Medicine conducts dental education and research and works alongside the university’s dental clinic.
Karolinska Institutet ranked 1st worldwide and 1st in Europe for dentistry in the 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject. This updates the broader description of the institution as one of the top dental schools in Sweden and Europe.
The standard dentistry program is an integrated five-year program taught entirely in Swedish. Applicants must demonstrate Swedish proficiency equivalent to Swedish 3, along with the required English, biology, physics, chemistry, and mathematics qualifications. Applications are submitted through Sweden’s national admissions system.
The university also offers a one-year complementary program for dentists whose degrees were earned outside the European Union, European Economic Area, or Switzerland and who need additional education before applying for a Swedish dental license. It currently offers Master’s Courses and Clinical Specialization in Orthodontics for the 2026–2030 period. This program can lead to a Master of Medical Science with a major in Odontology for participants who meet all requirements.
Doctoral education is also available through the Department of Dental Medicine. A doctoral degree generally requires the equivalent of four years of full-time study.
FAQS About Studying Dentistry
Are there Universities in Europe that Offer English-taught Programs in Dentistry?
Yes. The University of Debrecen in Hungary offers a five-year D.M.D. program in which all courses are taught in English. The University of Dundee in Scotland offers a five-year Dentistry BDS and publishes English-language proficiency requirements for applicants.
Karolinska Institutet should not be included as an example of an English-taught general dentistry degree because its five-year dentistry program is taught entirely in Swedish. It does, however, provide a limited number of clinical rotations in English for eligible exchange students from partner universities.
We hope that you found this article on the best dental schools in Europe informative and helpful. Make sure to also check out the Available Programs in Europe!
