To practise dentistry in Australia you must have qualifications acceptable to the Dental Board of Australia. It is illegal to practise dentistry without registering with the appropriate Dental Board.

Address: Level 8, 111 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000 AUSTRALIA

Postal Address: PO Box 9958, Melbourne 3001

Ph: 1300 419 495  

E-mail: chair@dentalboard.gov.au

Web address: www.dentalboard.gov.au 

At present the designated special branches of dentistry are Orthodontics, Oral Surgery, Periodontics, Endodontics, Prosthodontics, Paediatric Dentistry, Paedodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Oral Pathology and Oral Surgery, Public Health Dentistry (Community Dentistry) and Denti-Maxillofacial Radiography.

The following list describes the various specialist dentists;

An Orthodontist prevents and treats badly aligned teeth and jaws.

An Oral Surgeon and an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon surgically treat injuries, abnormalities and diseases of the mouth and adjacent parts.

A Periodontist prevents and treats diseases of the tissues which support the teeth, i.e. the gums and underlying bone.

An Endodontist treats diseases and injuries to, and associated with the dental pulp, i.e. the soft tissues in the hollow core of the tooth.

A Prosthodontist restores and/or replaces teeth and their associated parts.

A Paediatric Dentist treats children or adolescents who need special care because of behavioural problems, trauma, medical status or disability.

A Paedodontist also deals with the growth, development and treatment of children.

Registered Specialists in Oral Pathology and Oral Medicine, Public Health Dentistry (Community Dentistry), and Dento-Maxillofacial Radiology, have more recently been incorporated into the list of registered specialists.

NOTE: Most dentists in general practice provide a range of dental services. If you wish to consider using a specialist you should consult a general dentist who will provide a referral and continue to manage your general dental needs.

Dentists may work in private practice, as a solo practitioner or as an assistant, an associate, or a partner. Alternatively, a dentist may be employed in government service.

The majority of dentists work in private practice.

You may set up a practice or purchase an existing practice. Other ways of working in private practice include becoming an assistant dentist, which means you receive a salary from the owner of the practice; an associate dentist, where you and another (or more) join together to share the certain expenses, such as rent, while other expenses are paid separately and fees are collected separately; or as a partner where two or more practitioners share expenses and profits/losses according to an agreed proportion.

There are limited positions available to dentists in the government service, which employs about 15% of dental practitioners in Australia. A salaried government dentist treats patients eligible for publicly funded dental treatment.

Each of the armed services maintains dental units which provide treatment for members of the service and in some circumstances their families.

On graduation, universities are sometimes able to provide short-term appointments as tutors or lecturers. Permanent appointments require post graduate experience and higher degrees.

To be able to set up a specialist practice you must be registered as a specialist with the appropriate Dental Board. In general, you are required to have a degree, diploma or award of high standing which testifies to your ability in the specialised area, plus demonstrate you have been practising exclusively, or with considerable emphasis in that field for a reasonable time.