Studying Dentistry in Australia: All You Need to Know

According to relevant estimations, a dentist in Australia can earn up to around $200,000 per year. Therefore, dentists are among the highest-paid employees in Australia. The Australian medical schools and courses are amongst the top lists of the world’s best medical schools. Following are some guiding steps to understand how dentistry works in Australia:

Find a dental course:

The first step is to evaluate your learning objectives with the options available. In other words, finding a dental course that fits into your academic aims and goals is an important point to be kept in mind. There are many universities and schools in Australia teaching dentistry and you will surely find something suitable. Take a moment to take a closer look, because the college you choose may account for the largest part of satisfaction with your studies.

Entry requirements and applications:

After you have found your desired dental course, it is time to meet any requirements. A few things are to be kept in mind. Entry requirements usually depend on the dental school you’re applying to. Make sure to check the academic qualifications, grade certificates, atar score and so on. Usually, the medical school will provide these on their website so make sure to check through it. If you have successfully met all the requirements it is time to apply to begin your degree. All applicants will need to go through an assessment after applications. Once successful you will be enrolled into the bachelor’s degree, which is typically 5 years. After graduation, the majority of dental applicants apply for post-graduate entry into the Doctorate of Dental Medicine.

Register with the Dental Board of Australia:

Once you have graduated with a degree in dentistry, it’s a legal requirement to register with the Dental Board of Australia before you can practice. Information on registration and information for graduates registering with the board for the first time can be found on the AHPRA Dental Board website.

Pre-registration is required each year to remain a practising dental practitioner:

To continue practising as a dentist in Australia, you will need to renew your registration with the Dental Board of Australia each year and complete a minimum of 60 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in a period of three years. Doing a CPD course aids practitioners in their obligation to provide high-quality patient care across all fields of dental practice.

Selecting a speciality:

Many graduates’ complete postgraduate studies in clinical dentistry, areas of expertise including public oral health, sedation and pain control, periodontology, implants, paediatric, and so on. This will help you to prepare for a career at a specialist level in your preferred field, and provide a foundation to pursue a career in research clinical academic positions.