South Africa Dentist Recruitment Roadshow Mid 2025
Our Lumino Recruitment team will be in South Africa to attend the 3-day Dental & Oral Health Congress and Exhibition at Sun Arena, Times Square, Pretoria. After the conference we're looking to travel to Cape Town and Durban to meet with dentists in the region who won't be attending the conference in Pretoria.
During this time our team is available to meet with you in person and guide you through the pathway to getting set up as a dentist in NZ with us.
Experience the best of both worlds - lifestyle and career - with us.
If you're looking for a safe, secure, family-friendly place to settle then New Zealand could be just the place for you. Enjoy a balanced lifestyle while you're surrounded by beautiful landscapes, incredible culture, and plenty of opportunities to succeed. Here in NZ, we offer high-quality education in a peaceful, stable, and friendly environment.
New Zealand is a renowned lifestyle destination so it’s no surprise that we get interest from clinicians all over the world wanting to make New Zealand their home.
See what some of our expat dentists have to say about moving to NZ to join Lumino!
Relocation Process
We offer $15,000 relocation support, and we hold full accreditation with Immigration NZ. As Accredited Employers we can support your visa for both the short term and long term, and have an experienced team who will help make the move a smooth process!
There’s two key components to your relocation to New Zealand:
Registration to practice in your Dental Scope with the New Zealand Dental Council (DCNZ)
If you’ve trained outside of New Zealand, to be able to practise as a dental professional here you are required to register with the New Zealand Dental Council. To register you must have a prescribed qualification or a qualification assessed as being equivalent to, or as satisfactory as a prescribed qualification. You must also be fit for registration.
The following schools fit under the prescribed qualifications:
Western Cape University (Graduate before 1 January 1998)
Witwatersrand University (Graduate before 1 January 2001)
Pretoria University (Graduate before 1 January 2001)
Stellenbosch University (Graduate before 1 January 2001)
Medical University of South Africa (Graduated between 1 January 1997 and 31 December 2000)
If you didn't qualify at one of the schools above and still want to practise in New Zealand you will follow a slightly different process, for a non-prescribed qualification. This doesn't necessarily mean you will need to sit an exam, but you will be asked to collect cases from the past 3 years, and the process (conversation back and forth with the DCNZ - individual assessment to check the compatibility of the candidate) can take anywhere between 6 to 12 months.
To find out more about the pathways to registration visit the NZ Dental Council.
Please note, Lumino doesn't have any direct input into your registration process and doesn't act as an advisory body in your registration process, but we're able to give you general practical advice about practising in New Zealand. We encourage all Immigrating Clinicians to undertake this conversation with the Dental Council as soon as possible, as it will dictate your process and relocation timeframes.
Obtaining a visa – your eligibility to work in New Zealand.
If you’re planning to relocate & work in New Zealand, you’ll need one of the various different types of visas available.
Work visas let you live and work here for a set time period and may even lead to residence.
Resident visas such as the Skilled Migrant Category let you stay indefinitely and access more state-funded public services.
After having managed my own private practice in South Africa, I became aware that due to a change, the New Zealand Dental Council, now recognised my SA qualifications as prescribed and no exams would be required to register.
Visiting with friends in NZ and seeing and experiencing what it would be like to live here, my wife and I decided to come and embrace a new lifestyle and experience, which has been great. I responded to an ad for Lumino and was readily accepted, where I’ve been for over 17 years.
To relocate internationally is a huge move, but as we wanted to come and embraced the process, this made things easier for us. It is very different here, but we have not been sorry we came.
Lumino is an established company and has grown with leaps and bounds since I joined them. They take care of all the day to day running of things, which suits me, leaving me to get on with what I was trained to do.
An introduction to New Zealand
Upper Northland
The subtropical Northland region of New Zealand stretches upwards from the hustle of Auckland City, through to the very top in Cape Reinga.
Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland) is a multi-cultural hub of food, music, arts and culture. Visit the West Coast’s iconic black sand beaches, or take a short ferry trip to Waiheke and winery hop. In the beautiful Bay of Islands you can take a boat cruise, see wild dolphins, dive, fish or just relax in the sun. You can also visit the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, one of New Zealand's most significant historic sites.
Central North Island
From the picturesque beaches across the Coromandel region, through to the geo-thermal hot-spot, Rotorua. Central North Island is action central, with so many things to do and see. Black water raft through the Waitomo Caves, or boat cruise across Lake Taupo – there’s something for every explorer!
Lower North Island
Wine, sunshine, history and cuisine, Lower North Island has you covered. NZ’s capital, Wellington City (recently named the coolest little capital in the world by Lonely Planet) has world-class dining experiences, and a vibrant café scene. You can also find great wine regions in the lower North Island, including Hawkes Bay, Martinborough, and Wairapapa.
Upper South Island
Upper South Island has so much to offer. Known for its stunning landscapes and beaches, Nelson Tasman is home to great walks, and is the sunniest place in NZ. The West Coast is also set for nature lovers – enjoy rivers, rainforests, glaciers and coastal scenery.
Central South Island
Spectacular glaciers, a street art trail in Christchurch, and the beauty of Aoraki/Mount Cook. There’s plenty to see and do in Central South Island.
Lower South Island
Visitors are drawn to the spectacular scenery of the South Island. Witness a plethora of wildlife including seal and penguin colonies, as well as some of the most incredible landscapes on the planet. Milford Sounds is a bucket list must-do, there are also plenty of hikes - the best way to truly absorb the splendour of NZ's South Island.
Christmas in Summer anyone? Tis’ the season for sunny beach days, adventures on the water, beautiful bush walks, mountain hiking and much much more. You really can't beat a Kiwi Summer!
Even when Summer fades to Autumn, the days are still warm, and that means beach swims through March and well into April in some parts of the country. Bush walks and hiking are also great options.
The Winters are less harsh in NZ, with temperatures dipping to between 12 – 16°C. Snow sports galore, Queenstown and Wanaka in the South Island and the Central Plateau in the North Island are the most popular spots for skiing and snowboarding. The highest snowfall in these locations is usually throughout July and August.
It’s the perfect time to enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking, and there is often spring skiing available at some ski fields too. You’ll find New Zealand’s countryside full of bouncing lambs and spring blossoms.
Register your interest to find out more
We have practices all over New Zealand, with exciting ongoing growth, opportunities and vacancies that are changing regularly.
Because of the timeframes and process associated with your registration and relocation process, we suggest people get in touch via the form below or via our to learn more.
Once we have your details we will get in touch with you and see how we can assist.
Get in touch
Are you passionate about making a difference in the Dental industry? Do you want to be part of a dynamic and innovative team dedicated to delivering exceptional care and support to patients across New Zealand? If so, Lumino the Dentists wants to hear from you!
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