SDLE — General Licensing Exam

A recognised primary dental qualification (BDS/DDS/DMD or equivalent) from an accredited institution, or having commenced your internship year, or being a final-year dental student who meets SCFHS eligibility requirements may register before graduation. For non-Saudi applicants, a minimum of one year of professional experience is required as a general SCFHS classification rule. Individual employers may require additional experience.

There is currently no routine English language examination requirement for dentist licensure through SCFHS, although individual employers may have their own language requirements.

Mumaris Plus is the SCFHS central portal for all classification, registration, and exam services. SCFHS reviews your file and issues an Eligibility Number — your authorisation to schedule the exam. SCFHS eligibility review generally takes 2 to 6 weeks after DataFlow verification.

Eligible candidates may take the SDLE up to 4 times per year, starting from the first attempt, to obtain a passing score. Once you pass, you get 2 further attempts to improve your score for residency competitiveness. You cannot sit the SDLE twice within the same testing window — a second sitting is invalid. Candidates who fail SDLE remain subject to standard SCFHS classification and registration rules for two years after their graduation date. No confirmed lifetime attempt limit has been published by SCFHS. Consult the latest SDLE Applicant Guide before scheduling additional attempts.

Passing SDLE is not the licence itself — it is what unlocks Professional Classification and Registration through Mumaris Plus, the step where SCFHS formally logs you as a healthcare practitioner eligible to work in Saudi Arabia. For those planning to work inside the Kingdom, registration typically requires a valid Iqama tied to a sponsoring employer.