International Dentists

You can apply for general registration as a dentist in Australia, if you meet the following requirements which are mandated by the Dental Board of Australia (DBA) and implemented by the Dental Council of Australia (ADC);

1. If you are registered to practise in New Zealand, you can apply under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement (this applies irrespective of the country in which you studied)
2. If you obtained your qualifications in the UK, Republic of Ireland or New Zealand at any one of the approved universities your qualifications are deemed to be equivalent to those in Australia and you can apply for registration
3. If you are from Canada, and have either (1) qualifications certified by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada or (2) have been eligible for registration in Canada by successfully completing an exam administered by the National Dental Examining Board of Canada
4. If you don't have the required qualifications, you can either:
   1. Complete an approved Australian-based qualification or
   2. You can undertake the exam procedure overseen by the ADC.

The ADC will initially assess your documentation to determine whether your qualifications meet the criteria for immediate registration or not; if they don't, you may be required to sit both a written and practical examination.

You are eligible to undergo the examination procedure if you have completed at least four years of full-time academic study at an approved university or an approved qualification and you have been continuously registered in either your home country or the country in which you studied.

You will also be required to sit a proficiency in English test and undergo a criminal history check.

There are also Limited Registration categories in the public sector available for dentists with overseas qualifications working towards a general registration.

For detailed information on general registration requirements for dentists with overseas qualifications, visit the Dental Board of Australia.

For information on the assessment process, visit the Australian Dental Council.

If you are a dentist with overseas qualifications who would like to have exposure to the practise of Australian dentistry, either for the purpose of moving here, or simply to extend your body of knowledge or network with Australian colleagues, you can apply to be an Associate Member of the ADA.

For more information on becoming a member visit Join the ADA.