Dental therapists mostly examine and treat diseases of the teeth in pre-school, primary and secondary school children, under the general supervision of dentists.

Dental therapists may perform the following tasks:

• educate and motivate children, either on a personal basis in the clinic or through classroom lessons, to maintain good oral health.
• help to educate the community in the principles of preventive dentistry by addressing adult groups such as parents groups, play groups and parents and citizens associations.
• provide routine dental treatment for children including dental examinations and diagnosis, cleaning, scaling and polishing teeth, filling cavities, extracting deciduous (or baby) teeth under local anaesthetic, treating gum conditions, taking x-rays of teeth and jaws and applying pit and
• fissure sealants, fluoride therapy and taking impressions for mouthguard construction.
• bring more complex dental problems to the attention of dentists.
• work with managers of school canteens, advising them about health food.
• liaise with other health care providers.

Some dental therapists work in a particular geographical area and are responsible for visiting a number of local schools on a regular basis. They may be required to work anywhere in their state or territory, although individual preferences and applications for specific positions are taken into account. Others work in community dental clinics or regional centres.

Personal Requirements

Manual dexterity
Able to do precise and detailed work
Good communication skills
Able to establish rapport with children
Able to work as part of a team

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