Working as an ORAL HEALTH PRACTITIONER in Australia

If you want to work in Australia as a Dental Hygienist, Dental Therapist or Oral Health Therapist you need to have a specific qualification - these professions are separate to dentistry itself. If you have a dental hygiene, dental therapy or oral health therapy qualification, then you need to apply for assessment through the Australian Dental Council. This is the ONLY way to gain registration as an overseas qualified practitioner for any of the dental professions.

Click Here for information available from Australian Dental Council.

You have three options: 

1. Successfully complete a degree in Oral Health Therapy or equivalent at an Australian or New Zealand University. 

2. Complete a one-year Dental Hygiene course in Adelaide, South Australia that caters for overseas trained dentists - please contact:

• Gail Rodda
• Office Coordinator, Para Dental Studies, TAFE SA - Gilles Plains Campus. Blacks Road, GILLES PLAINS SA 5086
• Telephone: (08) 8207 1119
• Fax: (08) 8207 1151
• Email: gail.rodda@tafesa.edu.au

3. There is an assessment process in New Zealand for Dental Therapists and Dental Hygienists where successful candidates of this assessment process can register in Australia under the terms of the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition (TTMR) Agreement. Talks are ongoing between the Dental Councils of each country to formalise these arrangements under TTMR - please contact:

• Dental Council of New Zealand
• Level 5, 138 The Terrace. PO Box 10-448, Wellington, New Zealand
• Telephone: +64-4-4994820 I Fax: +64-4-4991668
• Email: inquiries@dcnz.org.nz
• http://www.dentalcouncil.org.nz

Alternatively

You can successfully complete the Australian Dental Council exams to be able to register as a Dental Hygienist, Dental Therapist or Oral Health Therapist. For those who; Hold a dental hygiene and/or dental therapy qualification which was obtained after at least two years full-time academic study; and, Have held full and unrestricted registration/licensure in his/her home country or country of training, and there has been no withdrawal of registration.

Go to the ADC website to view the full assessment and examination procedure.