The philosophy of risk assessment, early detection of oral disease and targeted Minimal Intervention Dentistry (MID) strategies for care should be incorporated into clinical dental practice and appropriately funded.
2.1 Dentists should incorporate MID into their clinical practices.
2.2 The public must be educated on the benefits of MID.
2.3 Funding agencies including governments must adequately fund MID.
2.4 Oral disease risk assessment and patient education should be described using the Australian Schedule and Glossary of Dental Services.
2.5 Third parties should acknowledge MID principles and allow for their incorporation in data collection, and, if applicable, contribution to the fee.
3.1 Oral diseases, especially dental caries, periodontal disease and oral cancer, are largely preventable.
3.2 As the understanding of these diseases has increased, management and treatment has progressed from being curative to preventive in nature.
3.3 MID has been facilitated by the development of improved materials and technologies.
3.4 For MID to be effective, it requires regular dental check-ups, good oral hygiene and healthy
lifestyle choices.
4.1 BOARD is the Dental Board of Australia.
4.2 DENTAL TEAM comprises a mix of dentists and other registered dental practitioners and support
staff and must at all times be headed by a dentist who is responsible for the diagnosis, treatment planning, delivery of dental procedures and continuing evaluation of the oral health of the patient. The dentist supports and directs the other members of the dental team working directly with them.
4.3 DENTIST is an appropriately qualified dental practitioner, registered by the Board to practise all
areas of dentistry.
4.4 DENTISTRY is defined as the evaluation, diagnosis, prevention and/or treatment (nonsurgical, surgical, or reversible and irreversible procedures) of diseases, disorders, irregularities or conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and/or the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body.
4.5 MINIMAL INTERVENTION DENTISTRY is the philosophy of professional care concerned with the
first occurrence, early detection, and earliest and least invasive management of disease.
June 2025
June 2030
This Policy Statement is linked to other Policy Statements: 2.4 Research, 4.1 Continuing Professional
Development, 4.2 Sponsored Continuing Professional Development Activities & 5.12 The Relationship
between Dentists and the Pharmaceutical Industry
