How to Form a Dental Clinic in Singapore

The licensing of medical practices in Singapore is presided by the Ministry of Health (MOH). Applications are made to Central Licensing Branch (CLB) of MOH.

Singapore allows individuals with medical licenses, societies and organizations to start a dental practice. You can choose to register the dental clinic under a business entity; however, you will first have to register with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority of Singapore (ACRA). Rikvin specializes in the setting of businesses with ACRA. We can help advise you on the most suitable business structure for your practice. Once you have formed a business entity with ACRA, you will then apply for a license with CLB.

The procedure to set up a dental clinic is similar to that of a medical clinic. The application for Singapore business license and fees are to be made to CLB. Application will only be processed when the license fees and complete required documents are submitted. If you plan to have more than one branch for your dental clinic, you are required to file a separate application for each branch. MOH licenses each medical facility individually, and requires a separate license for x-ray laboratory. Each license is valid for two years. The dental clinic has to be issued a license by MOH to practice before you can start offering your services to the public.

Choosing a Name

An important thing to note is choosing the appropriate name for the dental clinic. As of June 1, 2009, The name for any medical facilities cannot have the words ‘Singapore’ and ‘National’ without prior approval from MOH.

Choosing a Premise

There are stringent rules and guidelines for the design and layout of medical facilities. CLB has set up online PDF guides to facilitate the process of setting up a medical facility. These guides will help you in preparing for the on-site inspection of the premise by CLB, which is part of the licensing procedure.

If the existing space needs to be renovated to comply with the regulations, you will need to apply for a building work permit through Building and Construction Authority of Singapore (BCA). When the building works are complete, you will also need to obtain from BCA: a Certificate of Statutory Completion and/or a Temporary Occupation Permit before you can occupy the space. All renovation works are to be performed by certified or licensed contractors including architects. You will also need a Fire Safety Certificate (FSC) prior to occupying the building. You can obtain an FSC from the Singapore Civil Defense Force through a registered architect or engineer. A business signage that is placed on the building will require an application of an Advertisement License from BCA.

Additional Licenses

There are several more licenses to obtain depending on the needs of your clinic. If you plan to dispense medicinal drugs, you will have to apply for a Certificate of Registration of a Pharmacy with Health Sciences Authority. You will also need to obtain a L3 License from National Environment Agency to use irradiating equipment such as x-ray machines. The license applies to a single machine. You have to apply for a separate license for each additional machine.

On-site Inspection

When the facility is renovated and ready to provide services, you will have to arrange for an on-site inspection by CLB. Once inspected, it will take CLB up to three weeks to process all the paperwork and to confirm the compliance with licensing requirements before issuing the license.

Authority	Processing Time	License Fees	Validity
Ministry of Health	Up to 21 working days	S$700 for one Dentist	Two Years
		S$1,000 for 2-5 Dentists
		S$1,500 for more than 5 Dentists
		S$1,600 for X-ray Laboratory
		S$2,000 for Clinical and X-ray Laboratory

Rikvin is the leading authority in company incorporation in Singapore. We can help you incorporate your company with ACRA in less than 24 hours. Our comprehensive corporate services can provide you with a customized service that includes application for pertinent licenses and permits that you require to establish your medical practice.