Government supports the need to systematise dentist certification

This Tuesday, 9 May, the Cabinet of Ministers took note of the conceptual report on the need to improve the certification procedure for international dental students and expressed support for the proposal put forward by the Ministry of Health on the necessary improvements. This is an important step in advancing the issue on systematisation of the certification process of international dental students in accordance with current higher education standards and the needs of national economy.

According to the proposal, the requirement to have a good command of the official language will be no longer applied to those students who intend to return to their country of origin and work there, whereas if the graduate will be willing to work in Latvia, the knowledge of the official language will be mandatory.

Additionally the government approved the necessity to elaborate the legislative framework for the implementation of the solution provided for in the conceptual report of the Ministry of Health within three months and not by January 1, 2018 as initially agreed.

The proposal of the Ministry of Health foresees introduction of amendments to several regulations and deletion of the certification requirement foreseeing the necessity to prove state language proficiency at C1 level (mother tongue level).

As initiator of this matter RSU is convinced that these developments will result in a better future for its students and dentists. The official letter to the government, signed by over 900 RSU students, and the understanding of the urgency for a solution demonstrated by Prime Minister Māris Kučinskis and Minister for Health, Anda Čakša, have contributed considerably to the advancement of this issue.

Watch the video recording of the Cabinet of Ministers meeting on dental certification and the speeches by RSU management and representatives from the Student Union (from 20th minute onward).