Licensed to practice dentistry in Belize

Hi turnerdds,

Welcome to Expat-Blog

I have created a new thread as from your post on the Belize Forum for better visibility

Maybe a brief introduction of yourself would be great pls ?

Thank you

Maximilien
Expat-blog Team

you will have to get a work permit.  go on line and determine the paper work and documents you need. When you have these assembled send me a private message and I will put you in touch with someone who can help you with the process.  You will need help.  Generally the Belize government does not like to give work permits to foreigners for work that Belizeans can do.   BTW, I went to vet school in Iowa.  good place.  at least it was then.

turnerdds wrote:

Does anyone know how to get licensed to practice dentistry in Belize?  I maintain 2 licenses in the US (Iowa, South Carolina).  Thanks!

I can only speak for Corozal, I personally know the gentleman who runs the labor department in Corozal.

He's a very fair man with no agenda's other than follow the rules. I have heard good and bad stories about hiring an expeditor.

I also am a US licensed dentist in the process of considering retiring to Belize in the next few years with the possibility of setting up or participating in another practice there.  I have been consulting with the Minister of Health regarding approval and paperwork required.  It's a process.  If you wish to communicate, my email is sid.galloway@yahoo.com.

As an update, received the paperwork with a list of required documents to obtain (a great many), but also learned doing research that one cannot be a QRP participant and work in Belize (volunteering is ok, just no monies paid to any expat who is in the retirement program there).  Probably be a good thing as I may have to make myself retire and just do volunteer work to keep my skills up.  Still checking into particulars.

my husband just received a work permit to practice Chiropractic and is working on getting his Medical permissions sometime next year.    The process is laborious and expensive and tedious.   It can be done.  just make many copies of everything, document every step of the way, and while practing patience also persevere.   It took about 2 months +.  much of the time was consumed by the winter holiday celebrations.

It will be laborious, I agree.  I understand why they would want certain documents, ie: University accreditations, current license, board recommendations/reviews, but they also want things much harder to obtain, though one can, like full transcripts and National Boards scores, even though those were taken 30 years ago, along with an "original" diploma, among other documents.  I calculated it would run between 500-700 dollars to obtain all the docs.  I'm lucky in that I'm an alumnus and live near the University I attended, so travel back and forth a few times filling out paperwork and such and still knowing people working there won't be too bad.  I'll probably get a work permit anyway, whether I use it or not, unless doing so would disqualify me from QRP.  I am checking into whether my spouse can be qualified in the QRP (which then would include me by default, but her as the principle who brings monies into Belize) and not me, leaving me to work (and just pay taxes on Belize income).  No matter, this wouldn't be easy no matter where one moved to.  From what I understand, it is far worse moving to the US from another country.

your wife can get qrp & you can get a work permit.   I know a couple who did this.  Think about getting the qrp.  If you are wanting to bring a car, a boat, and lots of supplies/appliances to build a house, the qrp is useful.   I do not ike the part about keeping bank accounts here open to govt scrutiny.    We have a modest account at the local credit union, but nothing at the big banks.

sid.   you can negotiate some with the Beizean govt about some of their requirements.  They are doing their best to upgrade all their systems for requirinments for medical licensing, so they are just asking for everything they can think of.    they are open to reason.  If you tell them that you could not be licensed in 2 states in the USA, without graduating from an approved school with acceptable passing scores on your boards and that you have had ongoing CEU's, they may relent on some of the old stuff.   the other thing is----   sometimes it helps to have a local assisting you with your apps and advocating on your behalf.  there is a fee of course.   I can recommend a Justice of the Peace who routinely helps gringos.   Are you a member of any fraternal organization?   Do you speak Spanish?Are you Caucasian?   These things may make it easier or harder.

I took national and state boards for veterinary medicine in 1967, never had my scores, it was pass or fail.  I have not had a license to practice since 1985, when I let it go.   I could never come up with all that information they are requesting of you, and I think I could still get my license to practice, here in Belize, based on my being able to prove I had gone to ISU & graduated.

Best Luck.   kris