A French Dentist’s Honest Journey to HKDLE Part 1
Right outside the exam venue of the recently concluded Hong Kong Dental Licensing Examination (HKDLE) Part 1 written test, we caught up with a very unique student from Zency Education—Dr. Arthur, a dentist from France.
Dr. Arthur completed his formal dental education in France, where he earned all of his dental qualifications. Across his career, he has practiced dentistry for around three to four years in total, the last two of which have been based in Shanghai treating international patients. While living in Shanghai has been pleasant and comfortable, when discussing his decision to pursue a dental license in Hong Kong, Arthur shared some very candid, pragmatic career considerations.
On one hand, he genuinely loves living in Asia and plans to stay here long-term; on the other hand, he realized that to push past his professional ceiling—such as taking on complex full-mouth rehabilitations, advanced oral maxillofacial surgeries, and major implant cases—Hong Kong’s clinical ecosystem and cutting-edge equipment offer far greater opportunities. In his eyes, Hong Kong is undeniably the closest and most promising hub for a dentist’s long-term career growth.
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However, transitioning between distinct healthcare systems is never a walk in the park. After deciding to sit for the HKDLE, the first hurdle Arthur encountered was the sheer lack of clarity regarding how the examination actually works and how to navigate the complex application procedure. Even more daunting was the official reading list recommended by the Dental Council of Hong Kong (DCHK)—spanning 18 to 25 massive reference textbooks, each easily reaching 800 pages.
"If you have to read all those books, you simply cannot work and study at the same time," Arthur admitted. For a practicing clinician juggling daily patient appointments, plowing through dozens of dense textbooks from cover to cover was an impossible mission.
Having lived in China, Arthur frequently uses Xiaohongshu to gather everyday information. When searching for "HKDLE" keywords on the platform, he came across posts by Zency Education and reached out for more details. From sorting out complicated eligibility credentials to clarifying trivial questions about alternative documentation, the prompt and thorough guidance from our advisory team took the stress out of the registration process.
Once into structured study, Arthur joined Zency Education’s prep courses. Interestingly, as a native French speaker who works clinically in English, he expressed a distinct appreciation for the Chinese-track lectures. Arthur laughed and explained that although he could not understand the spoken Chinese, he was thoroughly impressed by the instructor’s visual presentation and structural delivery. By leveraging the Chinese classes to build a systematic conceptual framework and pairing them with the English classes for international terminological alignment, this bilingual approach saved him countless hours of aimless reading outside clinic hours.
Reflecting on the Part 1 paper he just completed, Arthur—despite having sat through numerous competitive exams throughout his academic career—remarked on how challenging and unexpectedly specific the questions were.
In his view, dental licensing exams in France are notoriously tough because of the sheer volume and quantity of material tested. HKDLE Part 1, by contrast, is difficult because of the extreme specificity of the questions. The exam sheets frequently feature questions where all five answer options appear nearly identical, differing only by a single word, demanding surgical precision and sharp evidence-based discernment from candidates.
Drawing from his firsthand experience, Arthur offered a crucial piece of advice to international dentists considering the HKDLE pathway: never underestimate the required preparation timeline. Factor in examination fees, round-trip flights, and accommodation in Hong Kong—the financial and time investments are substantial. Even with structured course support, a brief two-month sprint is simply not enough; preparing entirely on your own could easily take one to two years. Furthermore, he noted that many overseas candidates face an information vacuum simply because they don't know where to look, making breaking through the information barrier the critical first step.
From his foundation in Paris to clinical practice in Shanghai, and now stepping into the exam halls of Hong Kong, Dr. Arthur’s story reflects the journey of an increasing number of internationally minded dental professionals seeking higher career horizons.
When facing the rigorous, highly detailed, and dynamic HKDLE exam, establishing a clear structural framework matters far more than blind memorization. To help doctors from diverse educational and linguistic backgrounds avoid common pitfalls, Zency Education has developed a comprehensive bilingual curriculum:
Our Chinese-track lectures are led by Dr. Shuxin—holder of a Bachelor’s and Master’s from Sun Yat-sen University, a PhD from the University of Hong Kong, and a registered general dentist in Hong Kong—who bridges common cognitive gaps and clinical differences for candidates step-by-step. Meanwhile, our English-track lectures are delivered by Dr. Suki Gill, a registered practicing dentist in Hong Kong who cleared the HKDLE and completed international qualification pathways, aligning directly with international clinical reasoning and exam formats. Supported by unlimited lesson replays, AI-distilled mind maps, timestamped knowledge checklists, continuously updated question banks, and dedicated one-on-one document support, we safeguard your journey every step of the way.
No matter where you trained or where you currently practice, as long as you aspire to reach a broader clinical stage, Zency Education is here to walk steadily alongside you toward your future in Hong Kong.