1. Position Summary
Australia must prioritise self-sufficiency in training its dental workforce. The skills and knowledge of overseas qualified dentists approved to be registered in Australia must be equivalent to those of Australian-trained dentists.
2. Position
2.1 Australia must be self-sufficient with regard to the training of its dental workforce.
2.2 Future Australian dental workforce requirements should be nationally coordinated.
2.3 Recruitment of Overseas Qualified Dentists (OQDs) should be directed to areas of workforce shortage. The Australian Dental Association must be consulted and involved in the decision-making process when dentists are considered for inclusion in migration pathways.
2.4 Dentists, like medical practitioners, should continue to be an exempt occupation under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement.
2.5 The Board must ensure that the skills and knowledge of OQDs are equivalent to those of Australian-trained dentists.
2.6 Government must provide dedicated and enhanced support to secure the sustainability and excellence of Australia’s university dental programs to ensure sustainability and long-term viability of the dental workforce.
2.7 Orientation of health professionals to the Australian health system, culture and society should be extended to OQDs.
2.8 The statements in this Policy Statement relating to dentists should also apply to allied dental practitioners.
3. Background
3.1 The number of OQDs eligible to register in Australia annually exceeds the number of graduates from several Australian dental schools combined.
3.2 There is a maldistribution of dentists in Australia with regional and rural areas undersupplied.
3.3 OQDs have not been a solution to the provision of a dental workforce in regional and remote areas.
3.4 In the face of declining government support, Australian dental schools are under pressure to manage financial challenges through the training of international students leading to a decrease in domestic students and raduating newly qualified dentists who remain in the Australian dental workforce.
3.5 Ethical considerations support the view that a developed country like Australia should be self-sustaining and not rely on recruiting dentists from countries that may have a greater need for local practitioners.
3.6 It is in the interests of public safety that appropriate, clearly defined and transparent standards and appropriate workforce requirements are in place to govern the assessment, recruitment and training of OQDs.
3.7 Orientation to health care programs is provided to several internationally qualified health professions seeking registration in Australia, including nurses, midwives and doctors, to provide culturally safe and sensitive practice.
4. Definitions
4.1 ALLIED DENTAL PRACTITIONER are those dental practitioners other than dentists.
4.2 BOARD is the Dental Board of Australia.
4.3 OVERSEAS QUALIFIED DENTISTS are dentists whose primary dental degree was gained outside of Australia.
4.4 TRANS-TASMAN MUTUAL RECOGNITION ARRANGEMENT is a non-treaty agreement between the Australian Government, State and Territory Governments and the Government of New Zealand with the objective of removing regulatory barriers to the movement of goods and service providers between Australia and New Zealand.
5. Last review
September 2025
6. Next review due
September 2030
This Policy Statement is linked to other Policy Statements:
3.1 Dental Workforce and Education
5.9 Dental Accreditation Authority
