Sweden

Information to work in this country is available from

SRAT/STHF
Box 1419
111 84 Stockholm
Visiting address: Malmskillnadsgatan 48
Tel: +46 8 4424460 • Fax: +46 8 4424480 • Email: sthf@srat.se
www.tandhygienistforening.se

Procedures and/or documents that are necessary to be able to work in this country:

Dental Hygienists must send a copy of their diploma or certificate with a copy of their curriculumto the licensing body. If training is considered equivalent to that in Sweden, permission is given to practice. Some applicants may need to take a course to meet the requirements.

Dental Hygienist education programs are available at eight schools: Karolinska Institutet – Stockholm and at the universities of Gothenburg, Karlstad, Falun, Jönköping, Umeå, Kristianstad and Malmö.
www.studera.nu

Official licensing body in the country

National Board of Health and Welfare
BU enheten, 10630 Stockholm, Sweden
Tel: +46 75 2473000
www.sos.se

Special conditions that may apply for hygienists that obtain employment

Dental Hygienists that are accepted and licensed, may work without supervision. Dental Hygienists accepted and not licensed, may work with supervision.

Contact for Work Permit and/or Visa

The Swedish Embassy/Consulate in the country of residence.

Is a job offer required before a Work Permit/Visa is issued?

Not if the applicant is from the EU or the Nordic countries. Not if the applicant has a close relative living in Sweden and requires a resident permit. Not when the applicant requires a resident permit for studies.

Yes, if the applicant is not from the EU or Nordic countries and requires a work permit.

Main local and/or official language(s)

Swedish and Finnish. It is necessary to be fluent in Swedish. Dental Hygienists may be asked to sit a national test in Swedish.

Are dental hygienists qualified overseas required to sit the country's national examination?

No.

Information on the local working environment

Full time work consists of 40 hours per week. 55% of dental hygienists work in the public sector, 42% work in the private sector. 3% are independent practitioners.

Standard tasks that dental hygienists are allowed to undertake in the country

Examination of patient
Recording and interpretation of oral health status
Treatment planning regarding dental hygiene
Preventive oral health information and motivation
Preventive and therapeutic measures including fluoride and anti-microbial agents, fissure sealants
Sub and supra gingival scaling, polishing
Local anaesthesia
Development and application of health programmes for all ages

A competence description for a Registered Dental Hygienist
is available to download from

http://www.tandhygienistforening.se/fileadmin/Documents/Comp._Description_for_Reg._D_H.pdf

Further information

Job opportunities are fairly good at present and in the near future we can’t see that it will change.

Country Statistics

Total Population	9,500,000
Number of Dental Hygienists, Female / Male	3.800 / 65
Number of Dentists	7,100
Number of Dental Hygiene Schools / Students per year	8 / 200
Practicing Dental Hygienists: Full-time / Part-time	3,200 / 600
Number of Dental Hygienists in private sector / public sector	1,500 / 2,260
Number of Dental Hygienists practicing as Clinicians	3,690
Number of Dental Hygienists practicing as Educators	60
Dental Hygienists practicing as Administrators and/or Consultants	50
Number of Dental Hygienists in other practice settings	250, independent clinicians

Information based on data received by IFDH in:

2009

NOTE: The information provided above is for general guidance only. The International Federation of Dental Hygienists advises all hygienists to contact the country's relevant licensing bodies and agencies for current information and regulations.