Becoming a Dentist in Australia

Dentist Blog

A dentist is a healthcare professional with specialised training in the care of the teeth and the supporting structures. Practising dentists are required to be professionally registered with the regulatory authority in Australia and to maintain very high ethical standards in the course of their career.

Becoming a dentist can be very rewarding, but it requires strong interests in the medical sciences and ability to pay attention to details. Ability to think in three dimensions and capacity for good hand-eye coordination are very helpful skills. As a member of the healthcare profession, a dentist must have strong interpersonal skills and be sensitive to the needs of the patients.

Pursuing a career in dentistry begins with a broad exposure in high school to subjects such as biology, chemistry, physics, psychology, mathematics, and computer science. A minimum of five years rigorous, full-time academic study is required to become a qualified dentist in most tertiary institutions. The Charles Stuart School of Dentistry and Health Sciences offer a five year undergraduate degree programme leading to a Bachelor of Dental Science degree in Dentistry. 

On the other hand, the University of Sydney in New South Wales has two pathways to follow before becoming a qualified dentist. High school leavers with excellent results are admitted for three years of study leading to the Bachelor of Science degree. This is followed by four years of full time study for the Doctor of Dental Medicine degree after successful completion of the Bachelor's degree. 

All Dental practitioners are required to register with the Dental Board of Australia. Practising dentists are encouraged to advance their career in dentistry by pursuing further education leading to postgraduate certificates, diplomas, masters and doctorate degrees to enhance their clinical skills, facilitate dental research and to acquire specialist training in various aspects of dentistry.

Dentists play a leading role in the oral health team and they provide a wide range of dental services in the private and public sectors. Many dentists work either as solo practitioners in their private practices or in group practices in partnership with other dentists. Specialist dentists may work in speciality dentistry practices which concentrate their services on specialised fields of dental practice. They have the opportunity to demonstrate their expertise and to render services to the community by using their specialised knowledge in fields such as periodontics, orthodontics, oral pathology and surgery, to mention a few. Many dentists are also employed in the defence forces, in public sector dental health services, as researchers and lecturers in tertiary institutions and as volunteers abroad where they provide services to disadvantaged persons.

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30 November 2016