1. Initial assessment

Overview

The initial assessment is the first stage of the dental practitioner assessment process. It determines your eligibility to sit the written examination by assessing your professional qualifications, work experience, registration history, and good standing.

To be eligible to apply for an initial assessment you must:

hold a three-year, full-time prosthetist qualification from a recognised provider, or suitable equivalent; and
have held full and unrestricted registration or licence in either your home country, or country of training, with no withdrawal of registration.

When we start assessing your initial assessment you will be provided with a candidate reference number. You must provide this number when contacting us about your application.

Eligibility:	Minimum 3-year equivalent full-time qualification and have held full and unrestricted registration/licence
Timeframe:	8 weeks (approximately)*
Cost:	Current cost $610 AUD (application) $250 AUD (renewal) Cost for applications received after 30 June 2023 $628 AUD (application) $258 AUD (renewal)
Validity:	7 years
Application timeframe:	Apply at anytime
Assessment date:	8 weeks (approximately)*

*Timeframes can be delayed if information submitted is incomplete

Process

1.1 Create an ADC Connect account

New candidates must create a new ADC Connect account to start the dental practitioner assessment process.

You can complete an initial assessment at any time via ADC Connect.

1.2 Identify your application type

You need to confirm your registration and application type at the start of your application.

Registration type is the general registration division you want to register with the Dental Board of Australia. Please note that you can only apply for the division in which you hold a formal qualification, for example as an overseas qualified dentist you cannot apply for registration as a dental hygienist.

Application type is the type of application you want to complete. Dental prosthetists can only apply for initial assessment for registration.

1.3 Complete your initial assessment

Complete your initial assessment application and make payment as instructed.

You must submit these documents with your application:

current passport
recent passport photo (that meets Australian passport photo guidelines)
evidence of change of name (if required)
dental qualification, official certificate, or testamur
academic transcript
internship certificate (if completed as part of your qualification)
evidence of registration or licence to practise dentistry.

Passport photographs must be clear and uploaded as a .png file. All other documents must be clear and submitted in .pdf, .jpeg, .jpg, .png, .docx, .doc, .tif, or .tiff format.

You must provide an official English translation for any documents issued in a language other than English.

If your supporting documents have different names, or different versions of your name, you will need to provide evidence. Evidence must be a legal change of name document, issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages, or an official change of name by deed poll. If your educational institution or registering authority has altered or abbreviated your name, they must provide an explanatory letter directly to the ADC. Newspaper or gazette articles, affidavits of statutory declarations are not considered legal evidence.

1.4 Arrange for your certificate/letter of good standing to be sent to the ADC

You must arrange for a certificate/letter of good standing to be sent to the ADC. This must be sent directly to us from the organisation responsible for regulating dental registration or dental licence in your country of practice. We accept certificated/letters of good standing in electronic and hard copy formats. Letters of good standing received before you submit your application submission are valid for 3 months from the date of issue.

1.5 Receive an initial assessment outcome

You will receive an email from us advising of the outcome of your assessment once it is assessed.

There are three possible outcomes:

Your application is successful, and you are eligible to apply for the written examination.
Your application is incomplete, and you are required to submit additional information.
Your application is unsuccessful, and you are ineligible to proceed with the process.

Successful initial assessments are valid for seven years.

Renewals

1.1 Complete a renewal form on ADC Connect

Initial assessments are valid for 7 years. The expiry date of your initial assessment is available on your ADC Connect dashboard.

Initial assessment renewals were first introduced in 2020. The renewal process helps us ensure that you have continued to hold good standing throughout your time as an ADC candidate. It also ensures that the information we have on file for you is accurate and up to date.

You can renew your initial assessment via your ADC Connect account. This can be done at any time before the advertised expiry date.

To complete your renewal, follow the instructions on the form. As part of the process, you must arrange for a new certificate/letter of good standing to be sent to the ADC.

Renewals are valid for 7 years. Your new eligibility expiry date will be updated in your ADC Connect profile once the renewal has been assessed and approved.

If you do not complete your renewal before the expiry of your initial assessment you will be required to start the process afresh and any previous successful exam results will be void.