Finland
Information to work in this country is available from
Valvira, Tel: +358 295 209 111. Postal address: P.O. Box 43, FI-00521 Helsinki.
Street address Ratapihantie 9, 00520 Helsinki.
Official e-mail: kirjaamo@valvira.fi
Link to Valvira: www.valvira.fi
Procedures and/or documents that are necessary to be able to work in this country
In order to be liscensed to practice as Dental Hygienist, you must submit an application to Valvira. Your application must be in Finnish, Swedish or English.You may be granted a license to practice a profession upon application and will also be entered in the Central Register of Health Care Professionals (known as Terhikki) upon application. Valvira may verify the language skills of all applicants who have completed their professional training related to the application or their general education in a language other than Finnish or Swedish. You must submit a certificate of language proficiency to prove your language skills.
Official licensing body in the country
National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira)
Contact for Work Permit and/or Visa
Valvira
Is a job offer required before a Work Permit/Visa is issued?
Yes.
Main local and/or official language(s)
Finnish and Swedish. It is necessary to be fluent in these languages.
Are hygienists qualified overseas required to sit the country's national examination?
Yes, for hygienists from outside the EU.
Information on the local working environment
Hygienists work in public and private health sectors. Hygienists can also practice independently as entrepreneurs. Average working hours: 38 per week.
Standard tasks that a hygienist is allowed to undertake in the country
- Oral health counselling
- Patient examination
- Promotive, preventive and maintenance care of oral health for all ages
- Anti-infective oral care
- Orthodontic oral health care
- Additional duties in the care of prosthetic and surgical patients
- Take radiographs, x-rays
- Local anaesthesia
- Aesthetic oral health care
- Development and application of health programmes for all ages
Further information
Country Statistics
| Total Population | 5,500,000 |
| Number of Dental Hygienists | 3326 |
| Number of Dentists | 7793 |
| Number of Dental Hygiene Schools / Students per year | 4 / 140 |
| Number of Dental Hygienists in private sector / public sector | 35% / 65% |
| Number of Dental Hygienists practicing as Clinicians | About 80 independent Clinicians |
| Number of Dental Hygienists practicing as Educators | About 30 |
Links to related web sites
Information based on data received by IFDH in:
2020
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.
