Check if you need to register

Who needs to register

The Dental Board of Australia (the Board) expects people practising as a dental practitioner to be registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (the National Law).

‘Practising’ means any role, whether paid or not, where you are using your skills and knowledge as a health practitioner in your profession. It is not restricted to the provision of direct clinical care.

If you want to call yourself (or hold yourself out as) any of these titles, you must be registered with the Board:

• dentist, including any of the 13 dental specialist titles
• dental prosthetist
• dental hygienist
• dental therapist
• oral health therapist

This includes using any initial, symbol, word or description that may be reasonably understood to imply that you are a dental practitioner, or you are qualified to practice in the dental profession. The Board has published a fact sheet to help you understand your obligation regarding title.

The Board considers that you should be registered when you are treating someone or giving your opinion about their health. This includes prescribing.

Generally, if you are carrying out restricted dental acts, you must be registered as a dental practitioner, or medical practitioner.

Students do not need to apply for registration, your education provider will make sure you are registered.

Restricted dental acts

Section 121 of the National Law outlines the details on restricted dental acts and who may carry out the restricted acts.

Restricted dental acts include irreversible procedures on the teeth, jaw, and associated structures, or giving any advice that is preparatory to or for the purpose of fitting or adjusting dentures or restorative dental appliances. Under the National Law, restricted acts can only be carried out by people who are:

• a registered dental or medical practitioner
• a dental or medical student performing the procedure as part of an approved program of study
• carrying out technical work on the written order of a person registered in the dentists or dental prosthetists division of the dental profession, or
• authorised to carry out the act generally under another regulation.

Performing a restricted dental act without being registered is a serious criminal offence, that carries a fine of up to $60,000- or 3-years imprisonment, or both.

When to consider registering

The following are examples of when the Board considers you should be registered to practise:

• You have direct clinical contact.
• Your work has an impact on the safe, effective delivery of health services to patients.
• You are directing, supervising, or advising health practitioners about the health care of others.
• An employer and the employer’s professional indemnity insurer requires someone in that role to be registered.
• Professional peers and the general community would expect someone in the specified role to comply with the Board’s registration standards for professional indemnity insurance (PII), continuing professional development (CPD), and recency of practice.
• You are required to be registered under a law to undertake a specific activity.
• You want to use a protected title which is reserved for registered health practitioners.
• You want to be eligible for certain Medicare and/or Pharmaceutical Benefit payments.
• You are performing restricted dental acts, as defined by section 121 of the National Law.
• You are examining or assessing dental students or dental practitioners when the student or practitioners are treating patients or members of the public as part of the assessment or examination.

You should consult your employer, professional indemnity insurer or legal adviser if you are unsure whether or not you need to be registered.

Non-practising registration

If you are not practising as a registered dental practitioner but want to stay on the register and continue using a protected title, you may want to apply for non-practising registration. Non-practising registration may be suitable if you:

• have retired completely from practicing,
• are having a temporary absence from practising (for example, on maternity or paternity leave) or
• are not practising in Australia but are practising overseas.

Anyone with non-practising registration must not practise the profession in Australia. To begin practising again, you will need to complete a full application.

Employers

If you employ dental practitioners, you must make sure your staff hold the appropriate registration at all times. It is a criminal offence for employers to use protected titles for staff or hold unregistered staff out as dental practitioners. If you employ unregistered practitioners or you fail to have appropriate systems in place to make sure your staff maintain the appropriate registration, you can face criminal penalties of up to a $60,000 fine and/or three years imprisonment (for an individual) or a $120,000 fine (for a company).