Dental Instruments In The United Arab Emirates
Written by the Equate Instruments Technical Team · Published ·
Dentists and distributors in the United Arab Emirates can buy Equate dental instruments directly from the manufacturer, through the Regional Executive for GCC. In 2018, the United Arab Emirates had 6,273 dentists, or 6.5 per 10,000 people (WHO).
Key points
- Medical devices in the United Arab Emirates are overseen by Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE).
- Equate sells direct to the United Arab Emirates, with a named Regional Executive for GCC.
Dentists in the United Arab Emirates at a glance
- In 2018, the United Arab Emirates had 6,273 dentists, or 6.5 per 10,000 people (WHO).
- 6,273
- In 2018, the United Arab Emirates had 6,273 dentists, or 6.5 per 10,000 people (WHO).
- World Health Organization (Oral Health Country Profile 2022), 2018
- WHO reports 6.5 dentists per 10,000 people in the United Arab Emirates for 2018.
- 6.5
- WHO reports 6.5 dentists per 10,000 people in the United Arab Emirates for 2018.
- World Health Organization (Oral Health Country Profile 2022), 2018
- dental schools listed
- 4
- dental schools listed
- Equate research
- Untreated caries, age 5+33.8%
- Severe periodontal disease, 15+21.1%
- No natural teeth, 20+4.8%
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 the United Arab Emirates?
WHO reports 6.5 dentists per 10,000 people in the United Arab Emirates for 2018.
See how the United Arab Emirates compares with Equate's other markets in dentists per 10,000 people across 21 countries.
What is the state of oral health in the United Arab Emirates?
In 2019, an estimated 50.8% of children aged 1–9 in the United Arab Emirates had untreated caries in their primary teeth (WHO).
In 2019, an estimated 33.8% of people aged 5 and over in the United Arab Emirates had untreated caries in their permanent teeth (WHO).
In 2019, an estimated 21.1% of people aged 15 and over in the United Arab Emirates had severe periodontal disease (WHO).
In 2019, an estimated 4.8% of adults aged 20 and over in the United Arab Emirates had lost all their natural teeth (WHO).
The United Arab Emirates recorded 82 new cases of lip and oral cavity cancer in 2020 (WHO).
What are the rules for cleaning and sterilising dental instruments in the United Arab Emirates?
The Dubai Health Authority's Clinical Guidelines for Infection Control in Dentistry (DHA/HRS/HPSD/CG-10, version 2) were issued on 31 December 2025 and took effect on 1 March 2026.
Dubai's dental infection-control guideline includes a section on cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation of patient-care items in dental clinics (DHA).
Most-searched Equate instruments for the United Arab Emirates
All products
extraction forceps
Extracting Forceps Fig.86 Lower Molars Cow-Horn Beak
EI-0651
extraction forceps
Extracting Forceps American Pattern Fig.16 - Lower Molars Cow-Horn Beak
EI-1412
hand scalers
Micro Sickle Scaler 01/02
EI-0249
hand scalers
M23 Sickle Scaler - Sharpen-Free
EI-0250
dental elevators and luxators
Freer Double-Ended Periosteal Elevator - Titanium Coated
EI-0069
dental elevators and luxators
Periosteal Molt 7/5mm 18.5cm Hollow Handle 10mm
EI-0140
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
Where can you study dentistry in the United Arab Emirates?
Dental degrees in the United Arab Emirates are taught at 4 schools, based in Sharjah, Dubai and Ajman.
The University of Sharjah offers the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) as a five-year, full-time undergraduate programme.
| School | City | Founded | Degree |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Sharjah College of Dental Medicine | Sharjah | BDS | |
| Hamdan Bin Mohammed College of Dental Medicine (MBRU) | Dubai | ||
| Ajman University College of Dentistry | Ajman | 1997 | |
| Gulf Medical University College of Dentistry | Ajman | 2008 | BDS |
What are the milestones in the United Arab Emirates's dental history?
- Ajman University's College of Dentistry was established in the 1997–1998 academic year as the first oral and dental health teaching institution in the UAE (Ajman University).
- Ajman University's DDS programme was first accredited in January 2003, with re-accreditation in 2007 and 2010 (Ajman University).
- Gulf Medical University's College of Dentistry in Ajman was established in 2008 and offers a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) (Gulf Medical University).
- In June 2019, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi announced a comprehensive oral health policy focused on care services, prevention awareness, research and workforce planning.
What do dentists in the United Arab Emirates search for?
Search data for the United Arab Emirates 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 the United Arab Emirates?
Dentists in the United Arab Emirates 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 the United Arab Emirates?
- Oral Health Country Profile 2022 (World Health Organization, 2022): In 2019, an estimated 33.8% of people aged 5 and over in the United Arab Emirates had untreated caries in their permanent teeth (WHO).
- National survey of the oral health of 5-year-old children (Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal (WHO EMRO), 2010): The UAE national survey of 5-year-olds found only 17% of children were caries-free, with a mean dmft of 5.1 (Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, WHO EMRO).
- National survey of the oral health of 12- and 15-year-old schoolchildren (Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal (WHO EMRO), 2009): The UAE national survey found caries in the permanent teeth of 54% of 12-year-olds and 65% of 15-year-olds (Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, WHO EMRO).
- MOHAP school dental screening 2015–2019 (International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry, 2026): Ministry of Health and Prevention screening of 131,451 government-school students in six emirates found caries prevalence fell from 65.1% in 2015 to 49.19% in 2019.
How is dental care organised and paid for in the United Arab Emirates?
Total spending on dental care in the United Arab Emirates was estimated at US$699 million in 2019, or US$65 per person (WHO).
According to WHO's 2021 survey, the United Arab Emirates had a national oral health policy, strategy or action plan at the operational or drafting stage.
According to WHO's 2021 survey, the United Arab Emirates had implemented a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages.
Abu Dhabi's health system is financed through mandatory health insurance, with the exception of the Thiqa programme (Department of Health – Abu Dhabi).
Abu Dhabi's Oral Health Policy, published in March 2019, applies to the whole population, all DOH-licensed healthcare facilities, dental professionals and insurers.
How are dental instruments regulated in the United Arab Emirates?
In the United Arab Emirates, the Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE) issues marketing authorisation certificates for medical devices, which are valid for five years from committee approval.
In the UAE, marketing authorisation holder companies must be registered with the Emirates Drug Establishment before registering medical device products (EDE).
The authority responsible for medical devices in the United Arab Emirates is Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE).
Which dental instruments does Equate supply to the United Arab Emirates?
Equate's instrument guides for the United Arab Emirates 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.
Why do dental practices in the United Arab Emirates work with Equate?
- Buyers in the United Arab Emirates deal with the manufacturer itself, choosing from 3,375 instrument references.
- Every instrument is passivated stainless steel, ultrasonically cleaned, shape-, boil- and performance-tested and individually packed.
- A named Regional Executive for GCC handles quotes, samples and volume pricing for government and private hospitals and private dental centres in the United Arab Emirates.
- Samples are available, so a clinic in the United Arab Emirates can test an instrument before ordering in volume.
Social listening
What dental professionals and students in the United Arab Emirates discuss online
Licensing exams and experience requirements
CriticalDentists ask how to get licensed in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Posters describe written and clinical exams, a minimum of a few years' experience, emirate-specific rules and exams getting harder as localisation advances.
- Dentistry in Saudi Arabia, UAE· Student Doctor Network, 2004
- Dentistry in Dubai or Qatar area... anyone know?· Student Doctor Network, 2006
Salaries, contracts and career trade-offs
MixedPosters describe salaried two-year contracts with housing benefits, pay that depends heavily on where the dentist trained, and employers wanting several years of experience. Several warn that Gulf posts are less lucrative than they look and that big-city markets are saturated.
- Dentistry in Saudi Arabia, UAE· Student Doctor Network, 2004
- Any US-trained dentists in Dubai· Student Doctor Network, 2016
- USA dentist working in UAE/Dubai· Student Doctor Network, 2023
Equate's summary of public threads on Student Doctor Network, 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
the United Arab Emirates in Equate's market data
The United Arab Emirates ranks 11 of 22 in the Equate Dental Market Index 2026, with a score of 69.1 out of 100. See the full index
“Four out of five people residing in UAE exhibit signs of tooth decay”
Your Regional Executive · GCC
Nader Chaudhry
Regional Executive, London, UK
Frequently asked questions
How many dentists are there in the United Arab Emirates?
In 2018, the United Arab Emirates had 6,273 dentists, or 6.5 per 10,000 people (WHO).
How common is tooth decay in the United Arab Emirates?
In 2019, an estimated 33.8% of people aged 5 and over in the United Arab Emirates had untreated caries in their permanent teeth (WHO). In 2019, an estimated 50.8% of children aged 1–9 in the United Arab Emirates had untreated caries in their primary teeth (WHO).
How common is gum disease in the United Arab Emirates?
In 2019, an estimated 21.1% of people aged 15 and over in the United Arab Emirates had severe periodontal disease (WHO).
How much is spent on dental care in the United Arab Emirates?
Total spending on dental care in the United Arab Emirates was estimated at US$699 million in 2019, or US$65 per person (WHO).
Does the United Arab Emirates have a national oral health policy?
According to WHO's 2021 survey, the United Arab Emirates had a national oral health policy, strategy or action plan at the operational or drafting stage.
Who registers medical devices in the UAE?
The Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE) issues marketing authorisation certificates for medical devices in the UAE, valid for five years from committee approval. Marketing authorisation holder companies must first be registered with the EDE.
How long is dental school in the UAE?
The University of Sharjah offers the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) as a five-year, full-time undergraduate programme.
What was the first dental school in the UAE?
Ajman University's College of Dentistry was established in the 1997–1998 academic year as the first oral and dental health teaching institution in the UAE (Ajman University).
References
- World Health Organization (Oral Health Country Profile 2022) (2018)
- WHO EMRO – Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal (2010)
- WHO EMRO – Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal (2009)
- International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry (PMC) (2019)
- Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (2019)
- Emirates Drug Establishment (2026)
- Dubai Health Authority (DHA) (2026)
- University of Sharjah (2026)
- Ajman University (1997)
- Gulf Medical University (2008)
- Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (2019)
I am a… in the United Arab Emirates
