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Dentist

Also known as Dental Practitioner.

Dentists diagnose and treat oral diseases, injuries and abnormalities of jaws, teeth and gums, undertake preventive procedures, conduct surgery and perform other specialist techniques.

TASKS

Dentists may perform the following tasks:

examine patients' teeth and gums using dental equipment and X-rays
diagnose dental conditions and plan oral health care in consultation with patients
clean teeth and cavities, and provide preventive care such as scaling, cleaning and fluoride therapy
repair decayed and broken teeth by rebuilding tooth structures and providing crowns and bridges
treat diseases of the roots, gums and soft tissues of the mouth
perform routine surgical procedures, such as extracting teeth, as well as complex operations on the jaws and soft tissues
give local anaesthetics when necessary for carrying out treatment, and prescribe other medicines for infection or pain
design and fit dentures, crowns and bridges for the replacement of lost or unsound teeth
refer patients to dental specialists for further treatment

PERSONAL REQUIREMENTS

good hand-eye coordination
able to do precise and detailed work
good communication skills
able to concentrate for long periods
sympathetic and caring

Interest Area

SPECIALISATIONS

Endodontist - diagnoses and treats diseases and injuries to the soft tissues within the hollow core of the tooth.

Oral/Maxillofacial Surgeon - surgically treats diseases and abnormalities of the mouth and adjacent parts.

Orthodontist - diagnoses and treats badly aligned teeth and jaws.

Paediatric Dentist - deals with children's dental health.

Periodontist - prevents and treats diseases of the gums and supporting tissues.

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

Public Health Dentist - works with the community, researching and facilitating community dental programmes.

Special Needs Dentist - treats patients with conditions that require special techniques to manage dental problems.

EDUCATION & TRAINING

To become a dentist you usually have to complete a degree in dentistry, dental science or dental surgery at university. Alternatively, you can complete a degree in a related field followed by a postgraduate qualification in dentistry, dental surgery or dental medicine.

To get into the degree courses you usually need to gain your HSC/ACT Year 12. Prerequisite subjects, or assumed knowledge, in one or more of English, mathematics, biology, chemistry and physics are normally required. Entry is highly competitive, and you usually need to sit the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test (UMAT) and attend a structured interview. You may also be required to complete a structured oral assessment. Entry to postgraduate courses usually requires completion of an appropriate bachelor degree and may require completion of the Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT). A number of universities in Australia offer these degrees.

Universities have different prerequisites and some have flexible entry requirements. Contact the universities you are interested in for more information as requirements may change.

Additional Information

Before undertaking clinical placements required by courses, students will need to obtain a National Police Certificate, a Provide First Aid Certificate, immunisations and a Working with Children Check (NSW) or a Working with Vulnerable People Check (ACT). Students may also be required to be tested for blood-borne transmissible viruses (such as hepatitis B and HIV). Contact the institutions you are interested in for more information.

It is a legal requirement for graduates to be registered with the Dental Board of Australia before being able to practise as a dentist in any state or territory in Australia. For full details, see the board's website.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Most dentists work in private practice. Some are also employed within state or territory governments. Opportunities for careers in teaching and research also exist, mainly within universities and dental training institutions.

Demand for dental services depends upon demographic factors such as the size and age of the population, the general economic climate, the extent of private health cover and public awareness of new services available. Demand for dentists in the public sector depends upon government funding policies.