Oral health therapists provide high quality oral health care including examinaton, treatment and prevention. Oral Health Therapists have a strong preventive focus and help promote positive oral health.
Oral Health Therapists (combined dental therapists and hygienists) are registered oral health practitioners who provide primary oral health care for children and adults. This includes examining and diagnosing dental decay and gum diseases and providing routine dental treatments. They also promote oral health and provide preventive dental services among individuals and the broader community.
Oral health therapists' tasks can include:
Oral Health therapists who work in the public sector may be required to work anywhere in their state or territory. Individual preferences and applications for specific positions are taken into account however.
An oral health therapy profession offers exceptional dentistry career opportunities. There is a high demand for oral health therapists in the public sector dental health services, especially in regional and remote areas. Oral health therapists can positively influence the oral and general health of current and future generations. Oral Health Services employ oral health therapists and offer a range of work environments including busy urban clinics, community and school based clinics and mobile dental units. There are also opportunities to work in clinics located in some of our remote island communities.
To become an oral health therapist you have to study oral health therapy (Bachelor of Oral Health) at university. To get into the courses you need to gain your VCE/HSC/ACT Year 12 and apply through the University admissions scheme in your state. Prerequisite subjects, or assumed knowledge, in one or more of English, Biology and Chemistry are normally required. Some courses also require Health and Human Development. Entry is highly competitive, and you may need to sit selection tests and attend an interview. Some universities require you to sit the UMAT. Contact the universities for more information as requirements may change. Supplementary courses exist at some universities to enable dental therapists or dental hygienists to add the necessary skills to become an oral health therapist.
Oral Health Therapists must be registered with the Dental Board of Australia before they can practice.
Oral Health Therapists may be employed by any clinic that provides dental services to the public, in both the private sector (general and specialist practices) and the public sector e.g. school and community dental services, hospitals, disability and residential care settings. There are many opportunities in Australia for work as the there are currently shortages in the dental workforce. Government dental services are the major employers of oral health therapists although they may also own their own practices. Opportunities for career progression include positions in research and teaching, and senior clinical and administrative positions coordinating health promotion activities in dental health services state or territory-wide.
References and acknowledgements
http://adohta.net.au/ (accessed Nov 2012)
http://www.dhhs.tas.gov.au/career/home/career_choices/becoming_an_oral_health_therapist (accessed Nov 2012)