Background to revised standard

The Dental Board of Australia’s revised Scope of practice registration standard is in effect on 1 July 2020 after it was approved by the Council of Australia Governments (COAG) Health Council (CHC) at its November 2019 meeting.

Standard review and consultation

The Board’s current registration standard has been in place since 2014. A scheduled review of the standard began in late 2017 and included wide-ranging public consultation from March until May 2018. In November 2018, the Board submitted its proposed revised Scope of practice registration standard to the CHC. 

At the CHC’s March 2019 meeting, Health Ministers referred the proposed standard to the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the ACSQHC). The purpose of the referral was for the Commission to independently assess the patient quality and safety implications and the consumer benefit of the revised standard. The ACSQHC completed its review in July 2019. 

Approval by Health Ministers

The ACSQHC’s independent review report was submitted to the CHC’s November 2019 meeting. 

Health Ministers noted the review outcomes that there is no evidence the proposed revised Scope of practice registration standard will have an adverse effect on patient safety and quality. The review also indicated that the changes may increase the capacity of the dental workforce, may provide greater access to services and reduce wait times for services for rural and remote communities. 

In light of the ACSQHC’s independent report, Health Ministers approved the revised Scope of practice registration standard. They also supported publication of the ACSQHC’s independent report.

Health Ministers were provided with a copy of the Board’s draft revised Scope of practice guidelines. These guidelines were updated after taking into account the independent review and the Board’s engagement with the profession throughout 2019 to support the implementation of the revised standard.

The CHC decision is published in the communiqué from its November 2019 meeting. 

The ACSQHC’s independent review report is published on the CHC website.