Saxony wants to attract more dentists to the province

Saxony wants to attract more dentists to the countryside and is raising hopes with a new law. "With the introduction of a rural dentist quota, the Free State is taking an important step towards sustainably securing dental care in rural and underserved regions of Saxony," explained the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (vdek). The dental profession had previously welcomed the move.

8 out of 109 study places to be subject to quota regulation

The state parliament passed the "State Dentist Act" last Wednesday with a clear majority and no votes against. From the winter semester 2026/27, 8 out of a total of 109 study places for dentistry in Dresden and Leipzig are to be allocated each year via the state dentist quota. Candidates commit to working in a region with special needs for ten years after graduation.

Over the next ten years, 700 dentists will retire

Students are not selected solely on the basis of their A-level grade point average, but in a process that takes into account aptitude, practical experience and social commitment. The background to the regulation is an impending supply gap: At least 700 dentists are expected to retire in the next ten years. However, only around half as many young ones will follow.

"The legislator has now cleared the way for a fairer and needs-based distribution of study and care opportunities. A state-wide quota for dental study places is the right approach to counter the demographic development of dentists," explained Silke Heinke, head of the vdek state representation in Saxony.

"The state dentist law is an important first step. Now it is important to introduce further measures, such as a state scholarship program for faster and unbureaucratic support for dentistry students," emphasized Thomas Breyer, President of the Saxony Dental Association.

Left: Regulation is "only enough for the hollow tooth"

For the Left, however, the new regulation is "only enough for the hollow tooth". "It alone will not be enough to solve the supply problems that exist in the district of Görlitz and in south-west Saxony in particular," parliamentary group leader Susanne Schaper has repeatedly stated. "It is crucial that we not only redistribute capacities, but also expand them - in terms of study places, branches and care services." Additional dental training in Chemnitz would be an obvious option. Scholarship programs that are linked to several years of work in rural areas are better than a commitment quota.