To practise as a dentist in Australia you must complete an accredited university degree in dentistry, be registered with the Dental Board of Australia and meet the standards for re-registration every year.

Outlined below are the two main pathways at University of Sydney to becoming a dentist in Australia. Upon successful completion of the degree, you will be eligible to register as a general dental practitioner with Dental Board of Australia.

1. Complete a university degree in dentistry

Undergradaute entry (direct from high school)

For a limited number of high-achieving school leavers, direct entry into the double degree Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Dental Medicine (7-year degree) will give you the opportunity to study a three-year undergraduate science degree, before undertaking the four-year Doctor of Dental Medicine.

To enter via this pathway you must:

• meet the minimum ATAR score, expected to be 99.7 or equivalent;
• demonstrate a satisfactory performance in the assessment process, including a written assessment and panel discussion session; and
• and meet the minimum English language requirements, where these are not demonstrated by sufficient qualifications.

Once enrolled, you will also be required to complete the dentistry elective unit and achieve an average mark of at least 65.0 in each year of study during the Bachelor of Science study to progress into the Doctor of Dental Medicine.

Postgraduate entry (after completing a bachelor's degree) 

The majority of dental applicants apply for postgraduate entry into the Doctor of Dental Medicine (4-year degree) following the completion of an eligible university bachelor's degree.

To enter via this pathway you must:

• meet the minimum GPA score for an eligible bachelor’s degree at the time of application;
• achieve a satisfactory performance* in the Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) or equivalent; and
• meet the minimum English language requirements at the time of application.

*Satisfactory performance is defined in the relevant admission guides which can be found on the course page.

DMD offers following facilitated entry schemes for domestic applicants:

Indigenous Facilitated Entry Schemes

• For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants with a Bachelor of Oral Health degree
• For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants with a bachelor’s degree and GAMSAT results
• For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants with a postgraduate degree

Rural Applicants Facilitated Entry Scheme

• For Australian rural origin applicants as defined by the Australian government Please refer to the DMD Domestic Admissions Guide (pdf, 1.25MB) for definitions and information on facilitated entry schemes.

2. Register with the Dental Board of Australia

Once you have graduated with a degree in dentistry, it’s a legal requirement to register with the Dental Board of Australia before you can practise.

Information on student registration and information for graduates registering with the Board for the first time can be found on the AHPRA Dental Board website.

3. Re-registration is required each year to remain a practising dental practitioner

To continue practising as a dentist in Australia, you will need to renew your registration with the Dental Board of Ausralia each year and complete a minimum of 60 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities over a three-year cycle.

Sydney Dental School offers a year round program of CPD events, seminars and short courses across many major cities throughout Australia to assist dental graduates in meeting their CPD requirements.

These courses assist practitioners in their obligation to provide high quality patient care in endodontics, general dentistry, hygiene and therapy, implants, oral surgery, orthodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics and more.

4. Pursue a specialty

Many of our graduates also go on to pursue further postgraduate study in clinical dentistry, specialising in a range of areas including sedation and pain control, oral medicine, implants, surgery, orthodontics, paediatrics, periodontics, population oral health, prosthodontics and special needs dentistry.

All streams of the Doctor of Clinical Dentistry prepare you for a career at specialist level in your preferred field, and provide a foundation to pursue a career in research and/or clinical academic positions.

To be admitted to one of our postgraduate dentistry programs, you must hold a qualification recognised by the Dental Board of Australia and have at least two years of general dental practice experience.

More specific admission criteria may apply to individual programs.

• Graduate Diploma in Clinical Dentistry (Conscious Sedation and Pain Control)
• Master of Dental Public Health
• Doctor of Clinical Dentistry (Endodontics)
• Graduate Diploma in Clinical Dentistry (Oral Implants)
• Doctor of Clinical Dentistry (Oral Medicine)
• Doctor of Clinical Dentistry (Oral Surgery)
• Doctor of Clinical Dentistry (Orthodontics)
• Doctor of Clinical Dentistry (Paediatric Dentistry)
• Doctor of Clinical Dentistry (Periodontics)
• Doctor of Clinical Dentistry (Prosthodontics)
• Doctor of Clinical Dentistry (Special Needs Dentistry)
• Graduate Diploma in Clinical Dentistry (Surgical Dentistry)

Learn more about our specialist dentistry degrees.