Dental Instruments In Austria
Written by the Equate Instruments Technical Team · Published ·
Equate Instruments supplies dental hand instruments directly to clinics, dental groups and distributors in Austria, with a Regional Executive for DACH. On 1 October 2026, the Austrian Dental Chamber had 5,658 members, of whom 3,780 were in private practice and 750 were employed (Österreichische Zahnärztekammer).
Key points
- Medical devices in Austria are overseen by Bundesamt für Sicherheit im Gesundheitswesen (BASG).
- Equate sells direct to Austria, with a named Regional Executive for DACH.
Dentists in Austria at a glance
- Members of the Austrian Dental Chamber on 1 October: 5,338 (2023) to 5,658 (2026)
- +6% since 2023
- Members of the Austrian Dental Chamber on 1 October: 5,338 (2023) to 5,658 (2026)
- Österreichische Zahnärztekammer (ÖZÄK), Mitgliederstand, 2026
- On 1 October 2026, the Austrian Dental Chamber had 5,658 members, of whom 3,780 were in private practice and 750 were employed (Österreichische Zahnärztekammer).
- 5,658
- On 1 October 2026, the Austrian Dental Chamber had 5,658 members, of whom 3,780 were in private practice and 750 were employed (Österreichische Zahnärztekammer).
- Österreichische Zahnärztekammer (ÖZÄK), 2026
- WHO reported 5,009 dentists in Austria in 2017, or 5.7 per 10,000 population (WHO).
- 5.7
- WHO reported 5,009 dentists in Austria in 2017, or 5.7 per 10,000 population (WHO).
- World Health Organization, 2017
- dental schools listed
- 4
- dental schools listed
- Equate research
- Untreated caries, age 5+29.9%
- Severe periodontal disease, 15+18%
- No natural teeth, 20+13.8%
The dark line marks the median of Equate's 22 markets. Source: WHO Oral Health Country Profiles 2022 (2019 estimates).
How many dentists are there in Austria?
The number of members of the Austrian Dental Chamber on 1 October in Austria rose 6%, from 5,338 in 2023 to 5,658 in 2026 (Österreichische Zahnärztekammer (ÖZÄK), Mitgliederstand).
WHO reported 5,009 dentists in Austria in 2017, or 5.7 per 10,000 population (WHO).
See how Austria compares with Equate's other markets in dentists per 10,000 people across 21 countries.
What is the state of oral health in Austria?
In 2019, an estimated 29.1% of children aged 1–9 in Austria had untreated caries of the deciduous teeth (WHO).
In 2019, an estimated 29.9% of people aged 5 and over in Austria had untreated caries of the permanent teeth (WHO).
In 2019, the estimated prevalence of severe periodontal disease among people aged 15 and over in Austria was 18.0% (WHO).
In 2019, an estimated 13.8% of people aged 20 and over in Austria were edentulous (WHO).
In 2020, the incidence of lip and oral cavity cancer in Austria was 3.4 per 100,000 population (WHO).
In Austria's 2023/24 survey, 29% of children aged 6 to 7 needed acute dental treatment because of untreated caries lesions (Gesundheit Österreich GmbH).
Where can you study dentistry in Austria?
Austria has 4 dental schools listed here, in Vienna, Graz, Innsbruck and Krems an der Donau.
The diploma programme in dentistry at the Medical University of Vienna lasts 12 semesters (362.8 ECTS), leads to the title Dr. med. dent. and includes a 72-week clinical internship (MedUni Wien).
| School | City | Founded | Degree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical University of Vienna | Vienna | Dr. med. dent. | |
| Medical University of Graz | Graz | Diploma programme in dentistry | |
| Medical University of Innsbruck | Innsbruck | Diploma programme in dentistry | |
| Danube Private University | Krems an der Donau | Dr. med. dent. |
Most-searched Equate instruments for Austria
All products
extraction forceps
Extracting Forceps American Pattern Fig.151 Lower Premolars, Incisors & Roots, Universal
EI-1435
extraction forceps
Children's Extraction Forceps - Upper Incisors 10cm (Fig. 137)
EI-0609
hand scalers
Sharp Jacquette J-Scaler
EI-0253
hand scalers
Nebraska 128 Anterior Sickle Scaler
EI-0254
dental elevators and luxators
Straight Elevator 4 mm with Tapered Stainless-Steel Handle
EI-1651
dental elevators and luxators
Molt Periosteal Elevator 4mm/4mm 18.5cm Hollow Handle
EI-2293
periodontal probes
Expro 9 Explorer and CP-18 Probe Combination - 6 mm Solid Handle
EI-0205
periodontal probes
Probe CP-2 and Explorer #6 - Double-Ended Diagnostic Instrument
EI-0206
What are the milestones in Austria's dental history?
- The dental outpatient clinic of the University of Vienna (k. k. Zahnambulatorium der Universität Wien) opened on 22 April 1890 and was renamed the k. k. Zahnärztliches Universitätsinstitut in 1894 (University Clinic of Dentistry Vienna).
- On 17 February 1821, Emperor Francis I allowed Georg Carabelli to give extra-curricular lectures on dentistry in Vienna (University Clinic of Dentistry Vienna).
- Gesundheit Österreich GmbH has monitored oral health in Austria since 1996, when the first national dental status survey was carried out (GÖG).
Which organisations represent dentists in Austria?
- Österreichische Zahnärztekammer (Austrian Dental Chamber) (association)
- Bundesamt für Sicherheit im Gesundheitswesen (BASG) (regulator)
What do dentists in Austria search for?
Search data for Austria alone isn't published; these are the instrument searches across the English-language markets Equate tracks (Europe and North America), in Google Keyword Planner bands, October 2025 to September 2026.
| Instrument | Searches a month (band) | Most searched term |
|---|---|---|
| Dental Extraction Forceps | 50,350 | dental forceps |
| Dental Scalers (Hand Scalers) | 43,200 | dental scaler |
| Dental Elevators and Luxators | 40,550 | dental elevator |
| Periodontal Probes | 35,600 | dental perio probe |
| Restorative Dental Hand Instruments | 24,000 | acorn burnisher |
| Dental and Oral Surgery Retractors | 20,900 | cheek retractors |
How are teeth numbered in Austria?
Dentists in Austria use the FDI two-digit system set out in ISO 3950, where 11 is the upper right central incisor and 48 the lower right third molar.
What do national dental surveys show in Austria?
- Austrian Oral Health Survey 2023/24 (Österreichische Zahnstatuserhebung), children aged 6 to 7 (Gesundheit Österreich GmbH (GÖG), 2024): In Austria's 2023/24 national oral health survey of 4,084 children aged 6 to 7, 58% had caries-free primary teeth, short of the WHO target of 80% (Gesundheit Österreich GmbH).
How is dental care organised and paid for in Austria?
In 2021, the largest government health financing scheme in Austria covered 99% of the population (WHO).
Total expenditure on dental healthcare in Austria was estimated at US$2,116 million in 2019, or US$236 per person (WHO).
How are dental instruments regulated in Austria?
Medical devices in Austria are governed by Regulation (EU) 2017/745 together with the Austrian Medical Devices Act 2021 (MPG 2021) (Federal Office for Safety in Health Care, BASG).
Under § 62 of Austria's MPG 2021, cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation of medical devices must use suitable, validated procedures (BASG).
Reprocessing and reuse of single-use medical devices are not permitted in Austria (BASG).
The authority responsible for medical devices in Austria is Bundesamt für Sicherheit im Gesundheitswesen (BASG).
What are the rules for cleaning and sterilising dental instruments in Austria?
The Austrian Dental Chamber's Hygiene Regulation 2025 came into force on 1 May 2025 and requires a Class B steriliser (EN ISO 13060) for sterilising instruments in dental practices (Österreichische Zahnärztekammer).
Under Austria's dental Hygiene Regulation 2025, existing practices must implement the steriliser and washer-disinfector requirements by 1 May 2028 at the latest (Österreichische Zahnärztekammer).
Austria's dental Hygiene Regulation 2025 specifies steam sterilisation of at least 3 minutes at 134 °C or 15 minutes at 121 °C, with documented process parameters (Österreichische Zahnärztekammer).
Which dental instruments does Equate supply to Austria?
Equate's instrument guides for Austria cover dental curettes, dental elevators and luxators, dental explorers, extraction forceps, mouth mirrors, surgical retractors, hand scalers, periodontal probes, restorative hand instruments, spoon excavators and tooth extraction instruments.
City guides: Graz, Innsbruck, Krems an der Donau and Vienna.
Why do dental practices in Austria work with Equate?
- Direct from the manufacturer: practices in Austria order 3,375 instrument references without a distributor mark-up in between.
- The same build standard applies to each piece: passivated stainless steel, ultrasonically cleaned, shape-, boil- and performance-tested and individually packed.
- A named Regional Executive for DACH handles quotes, samples and volume pricing for private practices and university dental clinics in Austria.
- Clinics in Austria can request samples and a quote before committing to a full order.
Social listening
What dental professionals and students across DACH discuss online
Cost of student instrument kits
CriticalGerman dental students say what they spend on preclinical and clinical kits varies a lot by university, from about a thousand euros to several thousand. Schools that lend the costly items (handpieces, articulators, phantom heads) leave students paying mainly for small hand instruments and consumables.
- Zahnmedizin Kosten· MEDI-LEARN forum, 2010
- Vorklinisches Instrumentarium gesucht!!· MEDI-LEARN forum, 2006
Buying used instruments and checking wear
MixedStudents commonly buy and resell kits from older semesters and generally see this as safe, because course sets have seen few clinical uses. The advice is to check scalers and curettes closely: they can only be resharpened a limited number of times, and bad sharpening ruins them.
- Klinikinstrumente gebraucht kaufen??· MEDI-LEARN forum, 2014
- Klinikkoffer Dental Instrumente Zahnmedizin Instrumentarium + KFO· MEDI-LEARN forum, 2020
- Vorklinisches Instrumentarium gesucht!!· MEDI-LEARN forum, 2006
Equate's summary of public threads on MEDI-LEARN forum, read 2026-10-27. No posters are named and brand names are left out; thread links are listed in the page's data file.
Equate data
Austria in Equate's market data
Austria ranks 16 of 22 in the Equate Dental Market Index 2026, with a score of 50 out of 100. See the full index
“too few trained people who could potentially have taken over the contract posts”
“around 46 per cent of Upper Austria's contract dentists will reach their retirement age”
Your Regional Executive · DACH
Ahmed Wali
Regional Executive, Stuttgart, Germany
Frequently asked questions
How many dentists are there in Austria?
On 1 October 2026 the Austrian Dental Chamber had 5,658 members, of whom 3,780 were in private practice and 750 were employed. Vienna had the most, with 1,761 members.
What sterilisation standard applies to Austrian dental practices?
The Austrian Dental Chamber's Hygiene Regulation 2025, in force since 1 May 2025, requires a Class B steriliser to EN ISO 13060. Existing practices must meet the steriliser and washer-disinfector requirements by 1 May 2028.
Can single-use dental instruments be reprocessed in Austria?
No. The BASG states that both reprocessing and reuse of single-use devices are not permitted in Austria.
Where can you study dentistry in Austria?
Dentistry is offered at the Medical Universities of Vienna, Graz and Innsbruck and at Danube Private University in Krems. In Vienna the diploma programme lasts 12 semesters and leads to Dr. med. dent.
How common is tooth loss in Austria?
WHO estimated that 13.8% of people aged 20 and over in Austria were edentulous in 2019. It also estimated untreated caries of permanent teeth in 29.9% of people aged 5 and over.
References
- Österreichische Zahnärztekammer (ÖZÄK), Mitgliederstand (2026)
- World Health Organization (2017)
- Gesundheit Österreich GmbH (GÖG) (2024)
- Bundesamt für Sicherheit im Gesundheitswesen (BASG) (2021)
- Österreichische Zahnärztekammer (ÖZÄK) (2025)
- Medizinische Universität Wien (2026)
- Universitätszahnklinik Wien (1890)
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