Graduating soon? Dental Board launches new information video to help students who are applying for registration

27 Oct 2017

Are you about to graduate soon and start your career as a dental practitioner? The Dental Board of Australia (the Board) has developed a video especially for you.

From today dental students can watch a new video to help them when they graduate and need to register with the Board for the first time.

The Board’s main role is to protect the public by setting standards, codes and guidelines for dental practitioners to meet to practice the profession in Australia.

Graduates need to be registered as a dental practitioner with the Board before they start practising. The video, which is available on the Board’s website, explains to students the importance of meeting their regulatory obligations so they are all set for the next phase of their career journey.

‘Meeting your obligations and registering with the Board is central to being a responsible and safe dental practitioner – getting this right at the start of your career is important,’ said Dr John Lockwood AM, Chair of the Dental Board of Australia.

‘We understand that the obligations you must meet when you practice can sometimes feel overwhelming. We want graduates to know that all registered dental practitioners were once in their shoes and having to register for the first time. We created this video to help you by highlighting some of the core standards, codes and guidelines you will be declaring that you meet when you apply for registration to help you through your first registration.’

‘This video will help graduates familiarise themselves with the benefits of health practitioner regulation and what it means for them,’ said Dr Lockwood. ‘Meeting your obligations throughout your career helps keep the public safe. The Board is with you every step.’

The video provides an overview of the obligations that all graduates must meet to maintain registration and gives some helpful information when applying for registration.

Final-year dental students who will soon complete an approved program of study can go online now to apply for registration before they graduate.

Graduates from one of the dental programs must make an application for general registration and meet the Board’s registration requirements to be a registered dental practitioner.

There are three simple steps to registration for graduates:

1. Complete an online application for registration four to six weeks before completing their course.
2. Upload supporting documents when completing their online application.
3. Wait to be contacted by AHPRA.

Graduates can go the Board’s website to find out how to apply for registration and what happens next or check out the online graduate application service on the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) website.

For more information

• The video can be found on the Board’s dedicated Student registration webpage as well as the Board and AHPRA’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. It can also be found on twitter via the hashtag #dentalgrad.
• Go to Graduate applications on the AHPRA website to apply online and for links to FAQ.
• For registration enquiries or difficulties in accessing the online application form: 1300 419 495 (within Australia).
• For media enquiries: (03) 8708 9200.