International dentists · Iran
Dentists trained in Iran: practising in Quebec at Go Dentiste
What a Iranian-trained dentist needs to know to practise in Quebec: the route to the Ordre des dentistes du Québec permit for your diploma, the French requirement, the work permit and immigration, and what Go Dentiste concretely does to welcome you before, during and after the process.
Your diploma and background from Quebec’s point of view
Your DDS and Medical Council of Iran registration open the NDEB Equivalency Process or a university program. Montreal has a large Iranian community and many Iranian dentists have completed the NDEB steps. French goes through the OQLF exam, often prepared during the process.
The steps to the Ordre des dentistes du Québec permit
Your program is not recognized as accredited by the National Dental Examining Board of Canada: you follow the NDEB Equivalency Process or a university program, then the Certification Process, before applying to the Ordre des dentistes du Québec.
- 1. NDEB Equivalency Process, three successive assessments: the Assessment of Fundamental Knowledge (AFK), the Assessment of Clinical Judgement (ACJ) and the National Dental Examination of Clinical Competence (NDECC, on simulated patients). Several steps can start before you arrive in Quebec.
- 2. Or a university program: McGill University offers a DMD Advanced Standing for foreign-trained dentists (entry into second year, three years), open to Quebec residents, Canadian citizens or permanent residents, with a French requirement (B2); other Canadian faculties have equivalent programs.
- 3. NDEB Certification Process (Virtual OSCE) after either route
- 4. Equivalency recognition application to the ODQ: transcript with course descriptions, certified diploma, NDEB certificate, résumé, translations; the admissions committee meets monthly
- 5. Proof of French proficiency (see below), FARPODQ enrolment, permit and registration fees
Allow two to four years in general, depending on your country, examination availability and your immigration situation; it is long, but hundreds of internationally trained dentists complete it every year in Canada. The guide on credential recognition answers other frequent questions, and the Go Dentiste team can connect you with dentists on the team who went through it.
French: the OQLF examination and the temporary permit
Every professional order permit requires appropriate French proficiency. Since your studies were not in French, you take the OQLF French examination (oral and written comprehension and expression). If the Order declares you competent first, it may issue a one-year temporary permit, renewable up to three times, which lets you practise while you prepare. Our clinics are bilingual: you practise your French every day with the team and with a largely bilingual clientele.
Coming to work in Quebec: work permit and immigration
To work in Quebec you need a work permit. In the general route, the employer obtains a joint Canada–Quebec Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), you apply for a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ), then for the work permit from IRCC. Dentists (NOC 31110) are not on Quebec’s 2026 list of occupations eligible for simplified processing, which makes timelines longer than for hygienists: Go Dentiste prepares these employer steps with you as soon as your route to the permit is under way.
To settle permanently, selection goes through Quebec’s Skilled Worker Selection Program (Arrima), where French proficiency weighs heavily, then federal permanent residence. This is general information: rules change and every file is different; we recommend validating your plan with IRCC, Quebec’s immigration ministry or a regulated immigration consultant or lawyer. Go Dentiste cannot guarantee a permit or selection, but takes its employer role seriously.
What Go Dentiste offers you
- Clinical support from seven general dentists and specialists: mentoring, second opinions, a progressive ramp-up; we know what a first year in a new system is like
- An operations director who coordinates the employer steps (job offer, LMIA, documents for the CAQ and permit) and connects you with foreign-trained dentists on the team
- Three new, bilingual clinics in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield (2025, open 7 days a week), Vaudreuil-Dorion (2026, open Monday to Friday) and Saint-Zotique (2027), 45 minutes from Montreal, in a region where housing remains affordable
- Percentage-based pay with patients provided, no management or marketing fees, and an explicit route to co-ownership with no down payment or personal guarantee for eligible projects
- A supportive French-speaking environment to progress in French, with a clientele that also speaks English, Arabic, Spanish and other languages
While your file progresses: work with us now
Until you are entered on the Order’s roll, you cannot perform any act reserved to dentists. You can, however, work in a clinic in a non-reserved role (chairside assisting, clinical coordination, sterilization, team training), which gives you an income, hands-on knowledge of the software, RAMQ, the Canadian Dental Care Plan and Quebec practice, and a team that knows you the day your permit arrives. Write to Maryse Milton, director of clinical operations, at maryse@go-dentiste.com or 514 561-5399, stating your country of training and the step you have reached.
After the permit: percentage first, then co-owner
Once on the roll, you practise on a percentage basis with patients provided and the team’s mentoring. When you know where you want to settle, the co-ownership conversation opens with Félix Hamel, general manager (514 887-9635): for eligible projects, financing may cover up to 100% of the cost, with no down payment or personal guarantee from the dentist per the financing agreement. A dentist from abroad can thus build, within a few years, both a practice and equity in Quebec.
How long does the Equivalency Process take?
Generally two to four years between the first NDEB assessment and registration, depending on session availability, your preparation and your immigration situation. McGill’s university program lasts three years, with limited seats.
Which route to choose: the NDEB assessments or the university program?
The NDEB assessments are more flexible and can start from abroad; the university program offers full clinical supervision but requires Quebec residency, B2 French and selective admission. Many start with the AFK and decide afterwards.
Can I start the process before arriving in Quebec?
Yes: NDEB registration, document preparation (transcripts, course descriptions, translations) and, depending on the case, some assessments are done remotely or at examination centres outside Quebec. Start as early as possible.
Can Go Dentiste hire me as a dentist before my permit?
No, nobody can: dental acts are reserved to members of the Order. We can employ you in a non-reserved role during the process and prepare your dentist position for the day you are registered.
Do my years of experience count?
They count in your ODQ file (résumé, continuing education) and, with us, in your integration and progression: an experienced dentist ramps up faster and can discuss partnership sooner.
Go further
- All countries: international dentists at Go Dentiste
- Dentist jobs: percentage or partnership
- Become a Go Dentiste owner
- Career guide: foreign diplomas and equivalencies
- Living in Vaudreuil-Soulanges and Beauharnois-Salaberry
Official sources
- NDEB — Graduates of non-accredited programs: Equivalency Process (AFK, ACJ, NDECC)
- NDEB — How to become a dentist in Canada
- McGill University — DMD Advanced Standing for Foreign Trained Dentists
- ODQ — Internationally trained dentists: equivalency and permit
- ODQ — Practice permit: conditions (French, FARPODQ, fees)
- OQLF — Professional orders: French proficiency and examination
- OQLF — Charter of the French language: presumption (s. 35) and temporary permit (ss. 37-38) (PDF)
- Gouvernement du Québec — Authorizations to hire a temporary foreign worker (LMIA, CAQ, permit)
- Gouvernement du Québec — 2026 list of occupations eligible for simplified processing
- Gouvernement du Québec — Skilled Worker Selection Program (Arrima)
General information written by the Go Dentiste team from official websites consulted in September 2026; the texts of the Ordre des dentistes du Québec, the NDEB, the OQLF, IRCC and Quebec’s immigration ministry prevail. Neither legal nor immigration advice.
Content prepared by the Go Dentiste team (Dr Dominic Morel-Maynard, general dentist and owner). Last updated: September 25, 2026. General information for guidance only: only an in-clinic exam can establish a diagnosis and a treatment plan suited to your situation.