(edit title) Thinking to move in sweden and work as a dentist. A couple of information i need before the big step Options

[atoloumis]

Firstly some information about me. I am from Greece 27 years old with a diploma in dentistry from Romania and speaking fluently English and Romanian. I am currently employed here in Greece and have a professional experience of 1 year.
Although life here in Greece is still ok i don't think it is going to be in a couple of years. That is the reason why i want to move to a country that still cares for it's citizens. I heard a lot about sweden it's health system, educational system and politic system. I still would like to know a couple more things though from someone who already has been there maybe even worked there or is still working and help me make a good choice.
First of all i've already applied to the swedish dental council and in a couple of weeks i am going to know if i am capable of working as a full qualified dentist there. If everything goes as hoped and the answers to the following questions are satisfying i should be making the next step towards sweden soon.
Secondly i would very much appreciate it if someone could please tell me in rough numbers what is the monthly wage there for a dentist (working in private or in a hospital),what is the average rent for a small apartment, are there dental jobs that need to be filled, where should i ask for more help finding a job in the dental profession?is swedish language that hard to learn?
Sorry if i bragged too long i hope that someone will reply to this and my journey to sweden will soon begin.

Thank you in advance everyone,


Respectfully
Alexandros Toloumis

[Furu]

Rent depends on the city.

5000kr - 15000kr per month.

[kaze]

I'd think you would need to learn Swedish. Its not hard as languages go but its still a language and all languages are hard.

Maybe you'd be better off heading to the UK? There's always a demand for dentists there and you already know English.

[byke]

I think yo may become disillusioned with how you think the healthcare system works in real life over here ... looks good on paper, but I think you will find that in real life its very different to how you originally perceive it as being.

[PoJo]

I really think that you should try moving to Britain instead, if you really want to move.
Life is not like a meadow of roses in Sweden, as many people may think it is. First of all, of course you would need to learn the language first. I happen to have some knowledge of Greek and I know it's very difficult. Swedish, on the other hand, might not have the same level of difficulty in grammar, but it is difficult to start speaking it. I can say so from my own experience. It took me more than two years, and still not proficient.
Anyway, my advice to you is not to be too much attracted from the salary and health care system. You'd better search more about taxes and insurance instead.

That is why I strongly suggest Britain, at least you know English already.
Good luck!

[Puffin]

As an EU citizen the formalities are fairly simple - ut becoming fluent in Swedish will be your biggest obstacle - dentists are a little in short supply so you could contact health authorities/Landsting to see if any are offering employment and Swedish training for EU dentists - however usually the big cities do not have a recruitment problem so it tends to be rural counties
http://www.ltdalarna.se/templates/Base____2842.aspx
http://www.lg.se/Jobba-med-oss/Landstinget-som-arbetsgivare/

Salaries are not huge in Sweden - average salaries are around 33,000-40,000 kronor/month - however the tempo of work is more relaxed than other countries

I read an article on Swedish dentists in the UK - most said they intended to work for a few years to make money - the UK pays dentists as peicework for each procudure rather than a salary to appointments are often short and numerous - and then after a few years the Swedish dentists returned to Sweden to start families and enjoy a better quality of life

[atoloumis]

I really want to thank you all for your replies! You help me get to my final choice easier.
I choose sweden than England for a couple of reasons.
As i see most of you would have preferred U.K..that's what i also thought cause of the language and facing problems with getting used to Scandinavian mentality and all that you hear when moving to one of these countries.
But i am not afraid of learning a new language customs or getting to know and think as they do..i learnt romanian in a couple of years when i had to attend dental school there for 6 years and english i learnt mostly by listening to foreign music and watching movies without subtitles and by the necessity to communicate with people of different nations. So i hope this one would not be such a big problem (as i see from "puffin's" post there are hospitals mostly in the suburbs or in the main land where you can apply-work and learn the language in the same time..which is for me the best learning technique..of course with some guidance in the beginning).
To continue, the place of work doesn't bother me so much as long as there are young people there to interact with in my free time and as long as the quality of life there is at least acceptable (which i believe is not that hard to find..or am i wrong?)
The other matter would be the salary. You see as things are right now i get 2000 euro and with this amount i have to pay 500 for rent, 300 for my car loan, and some 200 for assurance and other work related expenses..so it's really 1000euro's the monthly budget i have here for spending..so if the salary there is even close to the one puffin posted above...i would be quite satisfied for now at least.

That's all for now folks, please any usefull feedback is welcomed and much appreciate and needed as well.
Thank you all again for your responses.

Respectfully,
Alexandros Toloumis

[dahlin]

Wow ! you really didn't get any positive encouragement for your plans but still you want to follow it through.

All I can say is GOOD FOR YOU ! I really hope it all works out for you and good luck.

As for the language - Swedish is not much of a stretch from English which you speak well so you should have no problems there. I was fluent within 2 years so I'm sure you can manage the same with a bit of motivation. If you have learnt Romanian you'll be laughing with Swedish

All the best Alex and may all your plans be fruitful.

[Rikey]

Follow your dreams. When you are old, the saddest words are "it might have been."

Congrats on your English.

I moved to Sweden years ago. I since returned to the USA. but will try again. The experience was good for me. It made me humble but gave me memories I will prize all for the rest of my life. You need a thick skin--which you have shown by your experience.

On the other hand, I hate Dentists.

[atoloumis]

Dahlin thank you for your nice words and for your encouragement!
I try to give my best to anything i set my mind, so i think with some help much effort from my part and some much needed guidance at the beginning i will manage to overcome any difficulties and succeed in Sweden also.
Rikey that's why i want to go in spite of all the discouraging things i may hear..so as when i'll be 40 and already have chosen a path to go on for my life i wont think for a moment those words.
I wish i could help you overcome any fear you may have with any dental procedure but i'm sure my fellow colleagues there will help you do that just as good.

Respectfully,
Alexandros Toloumis

[Alexandros7]

Min agxwnesai Alex!
H' twra h' pote!! egw etsi to eida prin metakomisw edw,prin 9 mines,me tin souideza kopela mou, pou spoudazame mazi sto londino.
Ola kala tha pane..opws pigan kala k sto londino k sto voukouresti antistixa..paleuoume pantou, k ola pane kala.stin idia ilikia eimaste,stin idia fasi eimaste,apla egw irtha ligo pio nwris..katalavainw pws skeftesai!
Empasi periptwsi, to kalokairi poiu erxomoun ellada gia diakopes, etuxe k milaga sto aeroplano me enan kuprio giatro(psuxiatros, ligo pio megalos apo emas ) k tin kopela tou aktinologo,gia douleies k souidia ktl ..k mou elege poso polu euxaristimenos einai me tin fasi edw, k me ta lefta, ktl ktl ..kai oti polu ellines giatroi erxontai edw giati einai polu kala ktl...antalaksame tilefwna ..k parolo pou den ton exw parei akoma til ..thewrw oti mporei na sou dwsei polles plirofories gia to pws na kinitheis eppagelmatika edw,k ti diadikasies prepei na akolouthiseis ..giati k autos fadazomai ta idia tha ekane...prin liga xronia pou irthe. Auta sta grigora,,auto einai to email mou (vareloalex@yahoo.gr) na sou dwsw to onomatepwnimo k to til tou giatrou, k genika an mporw na voithisw!
filia

[atoloumis]

File synonomate,

Xairomai pou akouw kai apo ena ellina se ayto to forum...an kai de to perimena.
Se exw kanei add sto mess an kai de sse vlepw online an 8eleis kane me kai esu mipws ekana kati egw la8os. to diko mou einai: atoloumis@ymail.com
Eyxaristw gia ti pro8ymia sou na me voi8iseis ali8eia deixnei to xaraktira tou an8rwpou tetoies praxeis. S'eyxaristw kai elpizw na ta poume syntoma sto messenger.

Alexandros Toloumis

[Dr Love]

I am not sure if Sweden can accept the Romanian diploma.

In Sweden you need to also change your name to sound Swedish so you can have some customers or if you do not speak Swedish they can sue you anytime or report you. It is sad truth. I know a doctor who changed his name and now has many customers.

Romanian and Greeks are very friendly and open people. I am sure you would have more fun working there than Sweden.
But you can try and contact some doctors to advise you if they can accept your diploma to work here.

[PoJo]

Dear Alexandros,

First of all, I apologize if I might have sounded discouraging in my previous post. I did not mean that by any intention.
You should follow your dream after all, but before doing that, take a moment and think if you really want to live in Sweden.


I still think you should not be fooled by promises of huge salaries as one third of it goes to taxes. A close person I know, works here in a big company and they totally underpay him by blaming it all to the system and the type of contract. The real reason behind that is that they know he needs the job right now for gaining experience and they have him tied up.
Not fair, though.

Congrats for the language skills, I also think you should be able to pick Swedish quite fast, since it is not so difficult. It will take more time to start speaking it and making conversations anyway. I learned Italian, Spanish and Portuguese only through TV and reading books, so thumbs up to that! Some people cannot believe that you can learn a foreign language this way!

I recommend you that you are 100 percent sure of wanting to live and work here before you move. Read everything beforehand, try to get as much info as possible.
Good luck to you!
Best!

[AlinaC]

Geia sou Alexandre...Legomai Alina kai eimai teleiofoiti odontiatrikis stin athina kai skeftomai sobara to endoxomeno na fugw apo tin ellada kai enas apo tous pithanous proorismous einai kai i souidia. Twra to pasxa malista eixa paei gia mia bdomada stokxolmi kai episkeutika kai to karolinska kai mas enimerwsan genika gia kapoies diadikasies...
Den 3erw an telika akolouthises auto pou itheles(to elpizw), omws tha sou imoun eugnwmwn ean mou edines kapoies plirofories ap'osa emathes se sxesi me tin euresi ergasias kai tis apolabes....
S'euxaristw ek twn proterwn... =)))