Fake Dentist Diplomas from Romania Become Phenomenon in Belgium

Belgium asked Romanian authorities to explain a strange phenomenon. Tens of individuals possessing dentist diplomas issued by Romanian authorities ask for practice in Belgium, according to Euractiv, but seem to know very little about this field. The fake dentist diploma phenomenon is so concerning that Belgium authorities asked Romania to clarify things from this perspective.

Belgian Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke has contacted the Romanian authorities to find out how the country controls the authenticity of dental diplomas following reports of individuals with Romanian credentials who want to practise in Belgium but have limited knowledge of dentistry, Euractiv reports.

The problem is that many so-called students who possess this sort of diplomas are from third-party countries outside the EU, such as Tunisia. This leads to the conclusion that these individuals were sold diplomas without them actively engaging in any higher education in Romania.

When the candidates with Romanian diplomas appear before the accreditation committee, which is required to work in Belgium, they can’t answer the most simple questions. This made the Belgium Dental Association sound the alarm.

According to the association, applicants with Romanian diplomas appear to know very little about dental care. It has even accused public schools in Romania of selling diplomas, particularly to non-EU nationals, of whom many are Tunisians.

This also poses a threat to dental medical tourism in Romania. Romania is well-known as a dental destination, and Romanian dental clinics are among the most famous in the world regarding the quality-pricing ratio. Medical tourists arrive thousands each year in Romania to follow dental care procedures and dental surgery, and this might suffer a hit if the potential clients associate Romania with a fake diploma factory for dentists.

If this is a phenomenon, the Romanian authorities will definitely investigate it and make sure the culprits are brought to justice. Even so, the potential damage to medical tourism in Romania is still to be evaluated.