| Information to work in this country is available from: |
Dental Hygienists' Association of Australia Inc.
PO Box 10030 Gouger Street, Adelaide 5000, Australia
Tel: +61 429100309 · www.dhaa.asn.au
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| Procedures and/or documents that are necessary to be able to work in this country: |
A Work Permit/Visa is required. All applicants must pass a registration examination. Registration with a dental board is required.
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| Official licensing body in the country: |
Each state/territory has its own dental board responsible for licensing. These are listed in the preliminary information and application for written examination available from the Faculty of Para Dental Studies listed below.
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| Special conditions that may apply for hygienists that obtain employment: |
Dental Hygienists must adhere to the regulations of the dental act in the jurisdiction they are working within.
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| Contact for Work Permit and/or Visa: |
Australian Immigration Department, through the Australian Consulate or Embassy in country of residence.
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| Is a job offer required before a Work Permit/Visa is issued? |
Not usually.
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| Main local and/or official language(s): |
English. It is necessary to be fluent in this language.
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| Are hygienists qualified overseas required to sit the country's national examination? |
Yes (theory and practical). For information concerning the registration examinations, write to:
Faculty of Para Dental Studies, Torrens valley institute of TAFE
Gilles Plains Campus, Blacks Road, Gilles Plains, SA 5086, Australia
Telephone: +61-8-8207-1146 · Fax: +61-8-8207-1113
www.tafe.sa.edu.au/institutes/torrens-valley/programs/paradent/
This examination is recognized by all dental boards in Australia.
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| Information on the local working environment: |
The majority of dental hygiensts are employed in private dental practices (general or specialist) and are concentrated in the major capital cities. There are very few hygienists working in country areas of the public sector.
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| Standard tasks that a hygienist is allowed to undertake in the country: |
- application of desensitising agents and remineralising solutions
- chairside assisting and clinical photography
- dental health education
- dietary counselling
- fissure sealants
- fluouride therapy
- impressions
- oral hygiene instruction
- orthodontic procedures
- overhang removal
- periodontal dresings
- polishing restorations
- radiography
- recording of periodontal disease
- removal of sutures
- root planing
- rubber dam application
- scaling and prophylais
- study models
Varying state/territory legislation applies to these duties. For a comprehensive description of permissible duties, contact the relevant state/territory dental board.
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| Further information: |
Job opportunities exist particularly in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and Queensland.
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| Country Statistics |
| Total Population |
19,000,000
|
 |
| Number of Dental Hygienists, Female / Male |
325 / 5
|
|
| Number of Dentists |
7,667
|
|
| Number of Dental Hygiene Schools / Students per year |
4 / 100
|
|
| Practicing Dental Hygienists: Full-time / Part-time |
182 / 100
|
|
| Number of Dental Hygienists in private sector / public sector |
274 / 8
|
|
| Number of Dental Hygienists practicing as Clinicians |
202 |
|
| Number of Dental Hygienists practicing as Educators |
8 |
|
| Hygienists practicing as Administrators and/or Consultants |
8 |
|
| Number of Dental Hygienists in other practice settings |
7 |
|
|
| Links to related web sites: |
Australian Dental Industry Association
Australian Immigration Department
Dental Hygienists' Association of Australia Inc.
Dental Technicians Association of Australia
Torrens valley institute of TAFE
WHO Oral Health: Country/Area Profile Programme
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| Information based on data received by IFDH in: |
2002
|
|
Australia
