Last updated on 27-Oct-2026, by Dr. Muhammad

MOHAP Dentist Eligibility Criteria and Registration Process 2026

To become a MOHAP (Ministry of Health and Prevention) licensed dentist, you must meet the eligibility criteria for your title and complete the registration process. Most dentists sit the Prometric exam. A smaller group can skip it because of an exam or registration they already hold, and that list is where most of the questions we receive come from.

This page gives you the eligibility rules side by side for general and specialist dentists, the full exemption lists, and the registration route in brief. For the general dentist exam itself (documents, how experience is counted, retakes and sample MCQs), read the MOHAP general dentist exam guide.

What is MOHAP dentist eligibility criteria?

MOHAP applies the Unified Healthcare Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR), the same framework used by DHA and DOH. The main difference between titles is what counts as your qualification and how much experience follows it:

The tier tables for each dental specialty are on MOHAP qualification and experience requirements for dentists. One useful rule: a specialist dentist without enough specialist experience can usually be licensed as a General Dentist instead. The PQR excludes holders of dental radiology, forensic dentistry, dental pathology and maxillofacial surgery qualifications from that fallback.

What is General Dentists & Specialist Dentists exemption criteria?

The PQR chapter on exam equivalency lists the exams and registrations that can exempt a dentist from the licensing exam. MOHAP asks you to upload these as exemption documents with your evaluation, and the evaluation officer decides. Nothing is automatic.

General dentist (PQR 21.10). One of these:

• Australia: Australian Dental Council (ADC) exam, all parts, or registration with the Dental Board of Australia for graduates of accredited courses
• Canada: National Dental Examining Board (NDEB) exam, all parts
• Ireland: Irish Dental Council exam Parts I and II, or registration with the Irish Dental Council
• New Zealand: NZDREX, or registration with the Dental Council of New Zealand
• United Kingdom: Overseas Registration Exam (ORE), all parts and not older than 5 years, for non-UK graduates; or GDC registration for UK graduates
• United States: National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) Parts I and II

Specialist and consultant dentist (PQR 21.8 and 21.9). One of these:

• Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons (Australia and New Zealand)
• National Dental Specialty Examination (NDSE), Canada
• Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training (CCST), for example in orthodontics or oral surgery, with entry on the Irish Dental Council specialist register
• CCST with entry on the UK specialist register
• Certification by an American dental specialty board recognised by the American Dental Association

Consultant dentists also need most recent practice of at least 2 years in one of the listed countries, with a licence and good standing there covering at least 2 years.

A national postgraduate degree, such as an MDS, FCPS or a European MSc, is not on these lists. It may give you the specialist title, but you still sit the exam. Moving from Dubai or Abu Dhabi is a separate route: a valid DHA or DOH licence, or one expired for no more than 6 months, can be accepted by MOHAP. The general rules for all professions are on MOHAP exam exemption criteria.

What is the MOHAP dentist registration process?

Registration is the same for general and specialist dentists. Only the title you choose changes.

Every screen of the online application is shown in how to register for the MOHAP exam, and the full cost breakdown is on MOHAP exam cost.

General dentists can practise with the MOH UAE General Dentist QBank. Specialty QBanks for dentists and doctors are listed on our MOH UAE exams page.

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