If you have qualified from a country other than Australia, NZ, Ireland or the UK, you will need to complete the ADC examination process before being eligible to work in Australia as an independent practitioner in private practice.
You will be eligible to undertake the ADC examination procedure if you have completed and passed a dental degree which included at least four years’ full-time academic study at a university recognised by the ADC and you are registered as a dentist in your country of training or practice.
There are four steps to the ADC examination procedure for general dentists:
1. Application for Assessment of Professional Qualifications
You must first apply to the ADC to see whether you are eligible to sit the ADC examinations. Once you are given permission, you follow the steps below.
2.The Occupational English Test (OET)
All overseas trained Dentists must pass must pass the OET at A or B level in order to be eligible to sit the ADC examinations. The test may be taken at designated overseas test centres or in any Australian State capital city (and some larger provincial centres). The application form can be downloaded from the OET website; http://www.oet.com.au/.
Please note that this test is only available twice a year, so it is important to apply to sit the OET exam as soon as possible.
3. The ADC Preliminary examination
The Preliminary Examination is a written examination in multiple choice and short written answer format. It is designed to test your knowledge of the practice of dentistry and of clinical and technical procedures as they are practised in Australia.
4. The ADC Final examination
The final examination must be taken in Australia. The Clinical examination is held over three to six days and includes the following three blocks: Conservative Dentistry - Operative Dentistry and Paediatric Dentistry; Treatment Planning - including consideration of Periodontics and Removable Prosthodontics; and Oral Surgery, Oral Diagnosis and Radiology.
Note: if you are specialist such as a maxillo-facial surgeon, seeking recognition in this specialty, there will be additional steps to go through. Please contact us for more details.
Alternate Pathway to Practice as a Dentist in Australia
If you are keen to migrate sooner, there is also an alternate pathway called the Public Sector Dental Workforce Scheme, where you are able to practice under supervision while you prepare for exams. This scheme is intended to alleviate the shortage of dentists in rural or remote areas.
If you have graduated from one of the approved dental programs in Canada, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa or the United States and have at least 2 years dental experience after the completion of your degree, you may be eligible to work via the scheme. For more information about this scheme please contact us