NSW Context

Dental assisting offers excellent career opportunities for the high school student, high school graduate, those seeking a career change and those re-entering the workforce.  The Certificate III in Dental Assisting is the recognised qualification for dental assisting in NSW.

 The Certificate III qualification is appropriate for practicing dental assistants or students who can gain supervised workplace dental assisting experience.   

 NOTE: Dental Laboratory Assisting and Dental Technology qualifcations in Version 4 of HLT07 Health Training Package have been moved to Technical Support Work section.

Dental technology offers excellent career opportunities for the high school graduate and non-traditional student (i.e. an individual who is over 23 years of age, an individual seeking a career change or re-entry or an individual from a culturally diverse background).

The Diploma in Dental Technology is the recognised qualification for a dental technician in NSW.  

Information from NSW Health

Dental Technicians

With the commencement of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme on 1 July 2010, dental technicians are no longer required to be registered. Consequently, the Dental Technicians Registration Board of New South Wales ceased to operate on 30 June 2010.

Regulation Matters for Dental Technicians

In NSW, dental technicians are now covered by the Health Legislation Amendment (Unregistered Health Practitioners) Act 2006. Dental technicians are required to comply with the Code of Conduct for Unregistered Health Practitioners. Complaints and notifications about the health, professional performance or conduct of dental technicians may be referred to the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC).
Under the arrangements for unregistered professions, the HCCC continues to have an integral role in complaints management as the independent investigator and prosecutor of complaints.

Further information on the Health Care Complaints Commission is available at www.hccc.nsw.gov.au or by telephoning 1800 043 159.

Dental Prosthetists

With the commencement of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme on 1 July 2010, the Dental Council of New South Wales was established and the Dental Technicians Registration Board of New South Wales ceased to operate.

Further information on the New South Wales Regulatory Framework can be found on the Health Professional Councils Authority (HPCA) website:www.hpca.nsw.gov.au.

Registration Matters

From 1 July 2010 all registrations and renewals are overseen by the new Dental Board of Australia. Dental prosthetists must approach the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) in relation to all registration matters. Further information is available at:

NSW Office of AHPRA:
Level 51
Ernst & Young Centre
680 George Street
Sydney
Phone: 1300 419 495
Website: www.ahpra.gov.au

Postal address:
GPO Box 9958
SYDNEY NSW 2000

Regulation Matters

In NSW, complaints and notifications about the health, professional performance or conduct of dental prosthetists or students are dealt with under NSW legislation and are overseen by the Dental Council of New South Wales. The Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) continues to have an integral role in complaints management as the independent investigator and prosecutor of complaints. The Dental Council and the HCCC continue to consult on the management of complaints. Further information about the regulation of the profession is available from:

Dental Council of New South Wales
Locked Bag 20
HAYMARKET NSW 1238
Telephone: 1300 197 177
Facsimile: 9281 2030
Website: www.dentalcouncil.nsw.gov.au
Email: mail@dentalcouncil.nsw.gov.au

HPCA
Website: www.hpca.nsw.gov.au

Notification or Complaint Matters

Notifications or complaints about a dental prosthetist or student may be made to any of the following:

Dental Council of New South Wales
Locked Bag 20
HAYMARKET NSW 1238
Telephone: 1300 197 177
Facsimile: 9281 2030
Website: www.dentalcouncil.nsw.gov.au
Email: mail@dentalcouncil.nsw.gov.au

Health Care Complaints Commission
Website: www.hccc.nsw.gov.au

dental Board of Australia
Website: www.dentalboard.gov.au

Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
Website: www.ahpra.gov.au

Immunisation: Health workers and learners undertaking work placement in NSW Health facilities must comply with the assessment, screening and vaccination requirements of Policy Directive PD 2011_005.  

Employment Screening Policy :  Health workers and learners undertaking work placement in NSW Health facilities must comply with the Employment Screening Policy. This Policy Directive sets out the mandatory requirements and procedures for the undertaking of Employment Screening of preferred applicants seeking employment for paid and unpaid positions, which includes the Working With Children Check, the Aged Care Check and the National Criminal Record Check. Further detail at Policy Directive PD2008_029

Student Clearances for Clinical Placements in NSW Public Health Facilities

NSW Department of Health Employment Screening Policy PD2008_029 requires all students enrolling in courses that involve clinical placements in NSW Public Health Facilities must undertake a National Criminal Record Check and comply with other policy requirements.  For details click here

Changes to OH&S

The Commonwealth and each state and territory government have agreed to harmonise their work health and safety laws, including Regulations and Codes of Practice, so that they are similar in each jurisdiction.

The Commonwealth, states and territories are responsible for making and enforcing their own work health and safety laws. Although there are many similarities between the laws there are also some differences that can cause confusion. Australian workers should be entitled to the same work health and safety standards, regardless of the jurisdiction in which they operate.

This regulatory inconsistency is being addressed through an intergovernmental agreement(IGA) where, for the first time, governments from each state and territory and the Commonwealth have formally committed to harmonise work health and safety laws by developing and adopting a model Work Health and Safety Act supported by model Regulations and model Codes of Practice. The intention is to deliver the same work health and safety protections to all Australians.  For more information click here