Controversy Surrounds South Korea’s Dental Exam for Overseas Graduates
A growing debate is unfolding in South Korea regarding the fairness and accessibility of the national dental examination for graduates of overseas dental schools. Concerns center on the low pass rate for international graduates and the scheduling of the exam on Saturdays, potentially conflicting with religious observances.
Low Pass Rates Spark Concerns
The current system requires graduates of foreign dental schools to pass a preliminary exam to qualify for a South Korean dental license. However, the pass rate for this exam is approximately 10%, leading to accusations that it functions as a barrier to entry rather than a genuine assessment of qualifications. Park Tae-seon, Director of Tacoma Shinho Dream Dental Clinic, questioned whether this rate represents a fair verification process for overseas-trained dentists.
Graduates like Park Shin-ho, who earned a dental degree from the University of Southern California and holds a U.S. Dentist’s license, have expressed anxieties about the exam. Shin-ho, currently serving in the South Korean military, fears the difficulty of passing the exam upon his discharge in March 2026. He highlighted the potential for a “brain drain” if qualified dentists are unable to practice in their home country.
Sabbath Exam Scheduling Raises Religious Freedom Issues
Adding to the controversy, the national dental exam is scheduled on Saturdays, which presents a conflict for Seventh-day Adventists who observe the Sabbath from Friday evening to Saturday evening. Shin-ho emphasized that scheduling the exam on a Saturday raises questions about fairness and potentially violates constitutional guarantees of religious freedom.
Calls for System Review and Revision
Experts suggest that the continued Saturday exam schedule could discourage talented individuals educated abroad from settling in South Korea, potentially leading them to seek opportunities elsewhere or even consider changing their nationality. There is a growing call for a comprehensive review and revision of the national dentist examination system.
Some dentists are advocating for the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee to address these concerns, emphasizing the demand for a fair system that accurately verifies qualifications without creating undue barriers for qualified professionals. The issue is being framed not just as an individual problem, but as a matter of national talent utilization policy.
Source: Korea Uijeong Broadcasting TV, reported by Choi Chae-geun