Saudi Arabia boosts local hiring in private dental sector

Dental Tribune International

Thu. 12 February 2026

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JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia is stepping up efforts to prioritise local dentists in private clinics. New rules will ensure that more Saudi professionals are employed in key dental roles. The move forms part of the country’s Vision 2030 strategy to create sustainable jobs for citizens.

According to reporting from the Arab News website, since 27 January, private dental practices across the country have been required to meet a 55% local hiring target with regard to 20 dental professions. This follows an initial 45% requirement introduced in July last year. Dentists will only be counted towards these compliance targets if they earn a minimum monthly salary of SAR 9,000.00 (€2,021.29^*) and hold professional accreditation by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties.

The phased targets have been carefully designed to reflect labour market conditions, the number of new graduates entering the workforce and the private sector’s capacity to absorb national talent. The policy is part of the broader Localization of Professions Initiative, launched in 2018 in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and other national bodies, with the goal of creating meaningful and sustainable employment opportunities in critical professional areas. According to government data, the total number of dentists in Saudi Arabia in 2024 was 33,751, of whom 19,598 were Saudi.

To support private clinics in meeting these requirements, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has pledged a package of assistance, including candidate sourcing, training and qualification programmes, and initiatives to promote workforce integration and job stability. The measures aim to ensure that companies can recruit and retain qualified Saudi dentists effectively.

The regulations apply to all private practices, irrespective of their Nitaqat category—Saudi Arabia’s classification system for private employers based on Saudi employment levels. This means that the new thresholds apply even when a practice is already compliant with its Nitaqat requirements. Non-compliance with the additional localisation rules will be met with labour law penalties.

The move advances the Vision 2030 objectives to strengthen the local workforce, improve professional standards and deliver sustainable employment opportunities for citizens, particularly in vital healthcare sectors such as dentistry. It also reflects an effort to ensure that the region’s fast-expanding private dental market—and its rising global profile, highlighted by the 2026 UAE International Dental Conference and Arab Dental Exhibition in Dubai—translates into a stronger local talent pipeline rather than reliance on imported labour. The policy may also have longer-term relevance in a region where the burden of caries remains high and where workforce shortages are cited as a contributing factor.

Editorial note:

^* Calculated on the OANDA platform for 27 January 2026.