Are Brazilian Dentists Qualified? How to Check a License

ByDr. Evandro Osterne Filho

Brazilian dentists must finish a university dental degree and register with a regional dental council before they can treat anyone. Specialists must also register their specialty with the national council. The good news for you: you can check any dentist’s license online in a few minutes.

How are dentists trained in Brazil?

In Brazil, dentistry is a university degree of its own. Students enter dental school right after high school. The program lasts about five years. It includes classroom study and supervised care of real patients.

Graduates receive the title “Cirurgião-Dentista.” In English, this simply means “dentist.” It is the same basic role as a DDS or DMD in the United States.

After graduation, many dentists take extra training in one area, such as implants or orthodontics. When that training meets the national rules, the dentist can register as a specialist.

What are the CFO and the CRO?

Two groups oversee dentistry in Brazil:

  • CFO (Conselho Federal de Odontologia) is the Federal Council of Dentistry. It sets national rules, including ethics and advertising rules, and keeps the national list of dentists and specialists.
  • CRO (Conselho Regional de Odontologia) is the regional council in each state. A dentist must be registered with the CRO of the state where they work. In Brasília, this is the CRO/DF.

Each dentist has a CRO number. It should appear on their website, business cards and records. For example, Dr. Evandro’s number is CRO/DF 7172.

What does “registered specialist” mean?

In Brazil, a dentist can only call themselves a specialist if the specialty is registered with the CFO. This protects patients from vague claims.

Dr. Evandro César Vidal Osterne Filho is a registered specialist in Implant Dentistry, Orthodontics, Functional Jaw Orthopedics and Halitosis. After his five-year dental degree, he completed three years of specialty training in Orthodontics, two years in Implant Dentistry, one year of advanced training in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and one year in Functional Jaw Orthopedics. He has 22 years of practice and has placed more than 10,000 implants. He also taught at the University of Brasília (UnB) for two years and works as a dental auditor for health plans, reviewing treatment plans from other clinics.

How do I check a dentist’s license myself?

It takes a few minutes:

  1. Go to the CFO lookup page: https://website.cfo.org.br/consulta-inscritos/
  2. Search by the dentist’s name or CRO number and state.
  3. Check that the registration is active.
  4. Check which specialties are listed.

The site is in Portuguese. Your browser’s translate tool can help.

If a clinic will not give you the dentist’s full name and CRO number, treat that as a warning sign.

What other signs of quality should I look for?

A license is the starting point. Here are other questions worth asking any clinic, in any country:

  • Who will treat me? Get the name of the dentist, not just the clinic.
  • What brands and materials will you use? Ask for the implant brand and the crown material.
  • What imaging do you use? A 3D scan (CBCT) helps plan implants with care.
  • Will I get my records? You should leave with records in English, including implant brand and lot numbers.
  • What happens if I have a problem at home? Ask how follow-up works.

Read more in what the implant and crown materials mean for you and what happens if I have a problem after I fly home.

Key takeaways

  • Brazilian dentists hold a university dental degree, similar in role to a U.S. DDS or DMD.
  • Every dentist must be registered with a regional council (CRO).
  • Specialists must register their specialty with the national council (CFO).
  • You can check any license online in minutes.
  • Always ask who will treat you, which materials are used and how follow-up works.

Questions patients ask

Is “Cirurgião-Dentista” the same as an oral surgery specialist?
No. It is the standard title for every dentist in Brazil. Specialties are listed separately with the CFO.

Can I check a license before I book?
Yes. We encourage it. The lookup is public and online.

Do Brazilian dentists follow ethics rules?
Yes. The CFO sets a code of ethics, including strict rules on advertising.

Tell us about your smile and schedule a pre-visit video call with Dr. Evandro. Start here.

About the author

Dr. Evandro César Vidal Osterne Filho, Dentist (Cirurgião-Dentista), CRO/DF 7172, Clinical Director of Onne Odontologia in Águas Claras, Brasília.

  • Registered specialist in Implant Dentistry, Orthodontics, Functional Jaw Orthopedics and Halitosis with Brazil’s Federal Council of Dentistry (CFO)
  • Experienced in complex cases and full-mouth rehabilitation
  • Postgraduate training: Orthodontics (3 years), Implant Dentistry (2 years), Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (1-year advanced course), Functional Jaw Orthopedics (1 year)
  • More than 10,000 dental implants placed over 22 years of practice
  • Former professor at the University of Brasília (UnB) for two years; instructor in postgraduate courses that train dentists to place implants
  • Dental auditor for health plans, reviewing treatment plans from other clinics
  • Master’s in Digital Dentistry with a focus on Artificial Intelligence, Harold Gillies University, Florida (in progress)
  • Speaks fluent English and sees every international patient personally

Verify his license: website.cfo.org.br/consulta-inscritos
Clinic website: onneodontologia.com.br

This article is educational and does not replace an in-person dental evaluation. Results vary from person to person. Dr. Evandro César Vidal Osterne Filho, Dentist (Cirurgião-Dentista), CRO/DF 7172.

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