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New to Oz? A brief guide to practising in Australia

Post date: 06/10/2015 | Time to read article: 2 mins

The information within this article was correct at the time of publishing. Last updated 14/11/2018

Australia mapAnnalene Weston provides a brief guide to practising down under.

Where can I work?

Australia is divided into eight states and territories. The majority of Australian healthcare is provided on a private basis, however public hospitals and community dental clinics provide "free treatment" under Medicare to eligible patients.

What do I need?

In order to practise in Australia, you will require the following, which can be obtained by clicking on the webpages listed:

An appropriate Visa!

www.immi.gov.au

Registration - Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA)

www.AHPRA.gov.au

AHPRA is the Australia National Registration Body and all practitioners must be registered with AHPRA in order to practice dentistry

Provider number

www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/provider/pubs/medicare-forms/provider-number.jsp

This is a unique identifier required for each site you work at. A provider number enables you to refer patients for tests which are billed under Medicare; this includes extra oral radiography (many centres do not have an OPG machine).

Radiography licence

A licence is required to take intra oral radiography, and this licence is acquired in the individual State or Territory in which you choose to work.

If you wish to take extra oral radiographs, an additional qualification needs to be obtained whilst in Australia. This takes the form of a course and exam and is available through the dental schools in each State.

Prescriber number

www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/provider/pubs/medicare-forms/index.jsp

This is a unique identifier for each practitioner and is required in order to write prescriptions.

Indemnity

www.dentalprotection.org.au

It is a compulsory requirement that all practitioners hold valid indemnity to practise in Australia. Contact Ken Parker on [email protected] to discuss transferring your DPL membership to Australia.

ADA

www.ada.org.au

While not an obligation, many practitioners find that the ADA provide them with helpful information. Each State and Territory has their own ADA, and in addition, there is a Federal ADA. Membership with your State ADA also qualifies you for membership with the Federal ADA.

What obligations am I bound by?

The Dental Board of Australia www.dentalboard.gov.au is one of ten National Boards which are regulated by AHPRA, and registration carries with it a series of obligations in the form of standards, codes and guidelines;

www.dentalboard.gov.au/Codes-Guidelines.apsx

www.dentalboard.gov.au/Registration-Standards.apsx

Helpful Links

AHPRA - www.ahpra.gov.au

Dental Board - www.dentalboard.gov.au

Dental Protection - www.dentalprotection.org.au

ADA - www.ada.org.au

Medicare - www.medicare.gov.au

Job listings

Dental Post.net - www.dentalpost.net

Dentist Job Search - www.djs.com.au

Australian Health Sector Recruiting - www.ahsr.com.au/

Your Dental Protection indemnity can travel with you worldwide.
Find out more

‘Practice’ means any role, whether remunerated or not, in which the individual uses their skills and knowledge

as a practitioner in their regulated health profession. For the purposes of this Code, practice is not restricted to

the provision of direct clinical care. It also includes using professional knowledge in a direct nonclinical relationship with patients or clients, working in management, administration, education, research, advisory, regulatory or policy development roles and any other roles that impact on safe, effective delivery of health services in the health profession.

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