DHAA Members:
Did you realise that you can login here to update your contact details or access the latest DHAA news and your handy member-only resources?
Login with your email and password:
DHAA State Branch Websites
Sponsor the DHAA Inc.
Click here to find out more
DHAA Inc., an Association Member of the IFDH
Working in Australia
Welcome to our International colleagues who maybe considering the opportunity of working in Australia. The information provided below outlines the necessary steps needed to be taken before practising as a dental hygienist in Australia.
What minimum legal requirements are necessary to be able to work as a dental hygienist in Australia?
Require a work permit (Visa).
Must pass a Registration Examination for licensing by the relevant licensing body.
Must register with the Dental Board of Australia.
Who are the organisations involved in the assessment pathway for overseas qualified dental hygienists and dental therapists?
Approved Examining Body
Exams are carried out at TAFE SA or Curtin University
Occupational English Test Centre
What special conditions may apply if I am accepted for employment?
You must adhere to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009.
Who do I contact for a work permit (if required)?
The Australian Consulate in the country of residence. More information can be obtained at the Australian Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs website.
Does a job offer need to be placed before a work permit is issued?
Not usually
Is it necessary to be fluent in the country's main language?
Yes (English). The Occupational English Test (OET) is a language test for health practitioners that assesses English language proficiency as it is used in the dental profession. This test must be completed and successfully passed before you may register as a practitioner. The OET is administered by the OET Centre up to ten times a year and in over 40 locations around the world. The Test measures the English language competency of health practitioners who are seeking registration to practise in an English-speaking context in Australia. It is designed to ensure that language competency is assessed in the relevant professional context.
Are overseas qualified hygienists required to sit the country's National registration examination?
An overseas qualified dental hygienist has two options.
The first is to complete an Australian qualification (a list of Board approved qualifications can be found on the Board’s website).
The second pathway is to undertake the assessment process overseen by the Australian Dental Council (ADC). Information about this pathway to registration in Australia for overseas qualified practitioners can be found on the ADC’s website. This can be seen by clicking here
There two locations where the exams are carried out
South Australia
TAFE SA
Centre for Dental Studies
Gilles Plains Campus
Blacks Road
GILLES PLAINS SA 5086
Australia
Western Australia – Curtin University of Technology
Department of Dental Hygiene and Therapy Curtin University
GPO Box U 1987
Perth 6845
Western Australia
Please contact the Australia Dental Council for further information:
Australian Dental Council
Ground Floor
120 Jolimont Road
East Melbourne Vic 3002
Tel + 61 3 9657 1777
Fax + 61 3 9657 1766
Email: info@adc.org.au
Website: http://www.adc.org.au (downloadable application form available here also)
This examination is recognised by the Dental Board of Australia.
* Dental Hygienists and Dental Therapists who are registered to practise in New Zealand are eligible to apply for General Registration under Trans Tasman mutual recognition (this applies irrespective of where training was undertaken). An application form is available form the dental board of Australia
Can anyone sit the Registration Examination?
No. The exam is open to dental hygienists only. It is a requirement that you have graduated from a recognised dental hygiene school, and are currently registered and practicing as a dental hygienist in your country.
For overseas dentists, reading this information, please see the Australian Dental Council Website
How are dental hygienists employed in Australia?
The majority of dental hygienists are employed in private dental practices (general or specialist) and are concentrated in Australia's major capital cities. Currently, there are very few hygienists working in country areas or the public sector
What are the standard duties likely to be permitted legally?
Dental health education, oral hygiene instruction, dietary counselling, taking histories, examination and recording of conditions of the hard and soft tissues and the recording of periodontal disease, radiography, impressions, study models, fluoride therapy, fissure sealants, polishing restorations, overhang removal, temporary restorations, scaling and prophylaxis, root debridement, rubber dam application, removal of sutures, periodontal dressings, application of desensitising agents and remineralising agents, orthodontic procedures, clinical photography, tooth bleaching.
Visit the Dental Board of Australia website to view the Scope of Practice Registration Standard and all other Standards, Codes and Guidelines that govern the practice of dentistry in Australia www.dentalboard.gov.au.
Where can I get more information?
This is information about the assessment pathway to registration in Australia for overseas qualified dental hygienists and dental therapists, from the Australian Dental Council
Information about the assessment pathway
Adobe Acrobat Document [432.3 KB]
Download
Dental Board of Australia
Overseas Qualified Practitioners: Dental Hygienists & Dental Therapists
Australian Dental Council
Assessment of Overseas Qualified Practitioners
Australian Health Practitioner Registration Agency
The Occupational English Test Centre
Occupational English Test Centre
Approved Examining Body
General Information:
DHAA Inc.
PO Box 10030
Gouger Street
ADELAIDE SA 5000
AUSTRALIA
Print Version | Sitemap | 
Recommend this site!© Copyright DHAA Inc. 1999 - 2013 ABN 93364414836 Dental Hygienists' Association of Australia Inc. - A professional body addressing training, uniformity of practice and growth of the dental hygienist profession.
