Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam

Amsterdam, Netherlands

The Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA) is a leading dental education and research institute jointly run by the University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. It offers top-tier dental programs and conducts innovative research in oral health and related fields.
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Tuition Fees, Cost of Living & Accommodation at Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam

Cost Of Living

€ 3000

Undergraduate Fees International Students

€ 12300

Post Graduate Fees International Students

€ 16700

Bachelors

  • € 12300
  • € 12300
  • € 12300

Masters

  • € 16700
  • € 16700

Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam Departments

  • Department of Psychology
  • Department of Biology
  • Department of Engineering
  • Department of Mathematics
  • Department of Science and Health Professions
  • Department of Computer Science
  • Department of Mechanical Engineering
  • Department of History
  • Department of Marketing
  • Department of Political Science

Unique Selling Proposition (USP) of Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam

What really sets ACTA apart is its razor-sharp selectivity: this isn’t a place that opens the doors wide. It accepts just 128 students into its Master's program each year—making it one of the most competitive dental schools around. ACTA doesn’t coast on reputation—it drives global leadership in research on oral infections, inflammation, and regenerative dentistry. Its work on biofilms, fluoride-based prevention, tissue engineering, and host response digs deeper than most. And because both UvA and VU are heavyweight universities, ACTA draws top-tier academics and dentists to both teach and learn. In short, it's a tight-knit, elite hub carving out the future of dental science.

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Infrastructure & Facilities at Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam

ACTA’s campus is a modern feat of dental design—purpose-built to bring teaching, research, and clinical care under one roof. Lecture halls, simulation labs, research suites, patient clinics, and a specialized dental library all sit neatly in one complex. It’s a vibrant academic ecosystem, where students scrub in next to researchers who are testing the next big innovation. Beyond that core, it taps into the broader VU and UvA infrastructure—so students enjoy sports, food courts, study lounges, and recreation just a short walk away. The facility isn’t just functional—it’s a living lab, tailored to dental science and built for action.

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Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam Student Life

Student life at ACTA strikes a balance between intense study and community. Days are packed with hands-on clinical work, lectures, and lab sessions, but there’s space to connect through student associations and social events. The campus vibe is close-knit—small cohorts mean strong peer bonds and easy collaboration. Beyond dentistry, students tap into the vibrant Amsterdam scene for culture, nightlife, and outdoor escapes. The mix of rigorous academics and a supportive social environment keeps motivation high and stress manageable. Life here isn’t just about learning teeth; it’s about growing as a person in a lively, diverse city.

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Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam Career support

ACTA’s career services are tailored to prepare students for the dental profession and beyond. They offer personalized guidance on internships, job placements, and postgraduate opportunities. Workshops and networking events connect students with industry leaders, alumni, and potential employers. The center also assists with CV writing, interview preparation, and professional development. Career advisors stay updated on the evolving dental job market to provide relevant advice. Overall, ACTA equips students with the tools and connections needed to launch successful dental careers.

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Step-by-Step Guide to Admission Requirements at Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam

key admission requirements for the Bachelor in Dentistry program at ACTA—straightforward, no fluff:

Dutch Language Proficiency
You must speak and understand Dutch fluently—enough to communicate with patients and follow your classes. This is essential for both learning and future dental practice. 

VWO-Equivalent Diploma
Your secondary school diploma must match the Dutch VWO standard. If you're applying from abroad, your credentials will be evaluated (via Nuffic or similar equivalency assessments). 

Selection Procedure (Numerus Fixus)
Dentistry is a numerus fixus program—meaning admission is competitive and limited. Even with the right diploma, you’ll need to go through ACTA’s selection process, which could include assessments or ranking.

Good Academic Foundation in Sciences
You must already have a strong background in natural sciences—specifically chemistry, biology, physics, and mathematics—to qualify. Admissions may check if you've covered these in your previous studies. 

Complete & High-Quality Application File
Even before your performance gets judged, the quality of your application matters. Make sure it's complete, well-written, and includes all required documents. Scribd

Tests and Assessments
ACTA selects candidates via live tests—possibly covering scientific principles, language skills, spatial awareness, social intelligence, and numerical reasoning. These tests are often held during an assessment day.

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Campus
Recruitment By top Companies

ACTA recruits talent across teaching, research, and administrative roles, drawing professionals who want to contribute to world-class dental education and innovation. Faculty positions often focus on specialist fields like oral radiology, orthodontics, or regenerative dentistry, while support roles keep the academic and clinical operations running smoothly. The recruitment process is competitive, mirroring the institute’s high academic standards. Diversity, collaboration, and professional growth are at the heart of their hiring approach. New hires benefit from being part of a globally ranked institution with access to cutting-edge facilities. Whether academic or support staff, joining ACTA means stepping into a role that shapes the future of dentistry.

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    Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam Corporate Partnership

    • Straumann : In 2011, ACTA teamed up with Straumann, a global leader in implantology, to weave oral implantology into the undergraduate curriculum. Straumann supplied implants, planning software, and trained faculty, enabling students to plan and place actual implants as part of their dental degree. Students now spend over 400 additional training hours, with a requirement to include implantology in treatment planning. The partnership turned what was once a postgraduate fringe topic into mainstream undergraduate training, fully embedding implant education early in dental careers and strengthening academic-industry integration
    • ADE – ACTA Dental Education : ACTA works closely with its professional development arm, ADE, to deliver advanced courses and hands-on workshops for dental professionals. ADE designs blended education, masterclasses, and interactive sessions for dentists, hygienists, and assistants. Over thousands of professionals engage annually, often interacting directly with academic staff and innovations from ACTA. For corporate sponsors, ADE is a gateway to a targeted dental audience—making it a strategic partner in continuing education and outreach, bridging professional learning with academic rigor
    • Dentsply DeTrey : Through the Dental Material Sciences network, ACTA connects with Dentsply DeTrey, a key dental materials company. Their collaboration supports research into composite resins, polymer shrinkage, and clinical restorative innovations. Being associated with Dentsply ensures that ACTA’s findings in material durability and chemistry inform real-world products, and that emerging material needs feed back into ACTA’s academic labs. It’s a two-way channel where science evolves product design, and vice versa
    • Kuraray : Another material-sciences player in ACTA’s orbit is Kuraray, known for dental adhesives and restorative materials. Their engagement likely supports testing adhesive performance, bonding mechanisms, or long-term clinical outcomes at ACTA’s clinics. Kuraray gains rigorous clinical validation, and ACTA leverages cutting-edge materials science access—making this a solid win-win relationship in restorative dentistry innovation
    • Eurostars : ACTA is connected with Eurostars, a major European funding initiative for SMEs and institutions collaborating on innovation. Through this, ACTA may co-develop new diagnostic tools, digital instruments, or therapeutic approaches. Eurostars funding accelerates ACTA’s ability to translate lab findings into market-ready tech, bridging academia with real-world impact in an entrepreneurial framework
    • International Team for Implantology : Also in its extended network, ACTA partners with the International Team for Implantology—an eminent global organization in implant education and research. This tie supports faculty and student access to cutting-edge implantology standards, conferences, and research collaborations. It positions ACTA as part of a global conversation, not just a local innovator
    • GABA International : ACTA appears in connection with GABA International via research report listings. GABA, known for oral care products, likely commissioned or collaborated in studies about product efficacy or oral health impact. ACTA delivers scientific rigor, while GABA gains validated claims and insights—this partnership illustrates ACTA’s role as a trusted research contractor in industry testing
    • Leiden University : In 2016, ACTA signed a formal academic collaboration (MOU) with Leiden University’s Faculty of Archaeology. Though not corporate, this interdisciplinary partnership brought bioinformatics, access to high-performance LISA computing clusters, and joint scientific programs. It helped expand ACTA’s research toolbox and enabled ground-breaking methodological work in ancient microbiome reconstructions. It also exemplifies how non-industry partners enrich ACTA’s research reach and innovation
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    Notable Achievements of Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam

    ACTA stands as one of the world’s top dental institutions, ranked among the very best globally. Since 1984, it has grown into a powerhouse combining education, research, and patient care, treating around 300 patients daily. Its groundbreaking studies on periodontitis, the oral microbiome, and dental materials have earned global recognition and high citation counts. The institute was also among the first accredited by the European Federation of Periodontology for specialist training. With elite rankings, impactful research, and exceptional clinical output, ACTA has firmly secured its place as a leader in dentistry.

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    Achievements

    01.
    Building a powerhouse research engine

    Beyond standout papers, ACTA’s true achievement is the consistent output of high-impact research across fields—oral microbiology, regenerative medicine, materials science, and more. It’s not a flash-in-the-pan. Their publication numbers are vast—thousands of articles, chapters, reviews, and reports stretching from 1985 through the mid-2020s. That scoring depth shows institutional strength, where diverse fields feed into each other, cross-pollinate ideas, and generate long-term influence in dental science

    Year
    ongoing
    02.
    Treating 300+ patients daily

    Research means little if you can't test it in practice. ACTA has built a clinical apparatus that treats around 300 patients every single day—over 33,000 annually. That’s massive. It’s in that daily clinical throughput where treatments based on ACTA’s research can be tried, refined, and scaled. It transforms academic outputs into real-world care. For a research institution to manage that volume and maintain scholarly output? That’s institutional muscle—education, science, and service all rolled into one.

    Year
    ongoing
    03.
    QS Global Rank—Top 3 in Dentistry

    In 2025, ACTA held its place among the global elite by ranking third overall in the QS World University Rankings for Dentistry. That’s not just a win—it’s consistency. The faculty had been among the top three worldwide for at least seven straight years by then, and secured its position as the very best in both the Netherlands and Europe for the discipline. It’s a stamp of enduring academic excellence—reflecting peer reputation, research output, and influence among employers and scholars. Being consistently in the top three isn’t a one-off. It shows decades of purposeful vision and execution in dental education and scholarship

    Year
    2025

    Notable Innovation, Research & Development Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam

    ACTA lives at the frontier of dental science, driving breakthroughs in oral infections, inflammation, and regenerative medicine. It’s where tissue engineering and advanced host-response research aren’t buzzwords, but everyday breakthroughs shaping tomorrow’s treatments. Its labs are buzzing with experts—from academics to clinicians—pushing the science behind implants, biofilms, and preventive dentistry. The institute’s global reputation draws top-tier talent eager to innovate, resulting in truly collaborative, boundary-pushing projects. ACTA’s work isn’t just academic—it impacts real patients, every day. Bottom line: it’s a powerhouse where bold ideas become the next routine in dental care.

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    Notable Innovation

    01.
    Host–microbe interaction grants and translational focus

    More recently, ACTA researchers received focused grants to explore how host factors shape the oral microbiome and its role in systemic health. Projects led by senior researchers investigated how host biology, diet, and early-life exposures influence microbiome trajectories and vulnerability to disease. The emphasis here is translational: by identifying host markers that correlate with microbial dysbiosis, ACTA aims to predict risk before clinical disease appears and to test interventions that steer the ecosystem back toward health. This host-centric framing moves the field toward prevention and personalized oral health strategies, and repositions dental care as a platform for broader health monitoring

    Year
    2023-24
    02.
    Peri-implant submucosal microbiome profiling

    As dental implants became routine, ACTA teams produced detailed cross-sectional analyses of the submucosal microbiome around implants, published in 2021. Those studies compared healthy and diseased peri-implant sites, linking specific microbial community shifts to clinical signs of implant disease and highlighting risk factors such as smoking and time since loading. The work strengthened the concept that implant complications are ecological events — shaped by host, implant material, and microbial community — and not just isolated infections. Clinically, these findings helped refine monitoring protocols and preventive measures for implant patients, and spurred interest in microbiome-guided implant care

    Year
    2021
    03.
    Conceptual advances in microbiome modulation

    ACTA scholars also contributed to conceptual reviews that clarified how to modulate the oral microbiome for health. A 2019 review co-authored by ACTA-affiliated researchers synthesized evidence on host modulation, probiotics, dietary influence, and ecological interventions, arguing that successful therapies should restore ecological balance rather than simply eliminate microbes. That synthesis influenced R&D directions: product developers and clinic researchers began testing targeted prebiotic/probiotic strategies, pH-modulating agents, and behavior-based interventions informed by community ecology. The review helped set research priorities and guided clinical translation efforts toward sustaining healthy microbial ecosystems

    Year
    2019

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