Our COVID-19 response - The Australian Dental Council

Our COVID-19 response

Overview

The ADC is committed to the health and safety of our team, candidates, examiners, assessors, and education providers. This page provides an overview of our current COVID-19 response.

Practitioner assessments

Written examination

Validity periods

The standard validity period for the written examination is three years. Due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19 the ADC has extended the validity period by a total of two years for candidates with written examinations originally expiring between October 2020 and November 2022. These new expiry dates are highlighted below.

Examination date Original expiry date New expiry date
September 2017 October 2020 October 2022
March 2018 April 2021 April 2023
September 2018 November 2021 November 2023
March 2019 April 2022 April 2024
September 2019 November 2022 November 2024

As practical examinations are held in Melbourne, Victoria, we recommend candidates consider their ability to travel during their validity period before applying for future written examination places as no further extensions will be granted.

Practical examination

2022 practical examinations

From 19 January 2022 candidates residing in Australia are expected to attend their practical examination. This includes candidates who postponed their examination in 2021 due to border restrictions. Candidates will need to be fully vaccinated to sit the practical examination or have valid proof of medical exemption.

The standard withdrawal policy will apply in the event you wish to withdraw from your examination. You can find more information on the standard withdrawal policy in the Practical examination handbook for dentists (PDF, 693KB).

Please note that the COVID-19 assessments and examinations policy: September 2021 no longer applies, and it is recommended that candidates check whether they can travel to Victoria before applying for any future practical examinations.

We will continue to review our COVID-19 policies throughout 2022. Candidates are strongly encouraged to monitor our website for the most up to date information regarding our policies and procedures.

Support

We appreciate that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been significant for many of our candidates. One avenue of support for candidates is the Dental Board of Australia’s Dental Practitioner Support Service.

Those contacting Dental Practitioner Support have access to an experienced team who can provide confidential advice and referral on a range of issues, including mental and physical health as well as general wellbeing. Anyone using the service has the option to remain anonymous, should they wish to do so.

More information about the service, and how to seek support, is available via the Dental Practitioner Support website.

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