It’s registration time – don’t forget to renew!

Your annual registration renewal with Ahpra must be completed by 30^th November. Did you know that every time you apply to renew your registration, you are making a series of legal declarations that you have met (or don’t meet) the Standards set by the Dental Board of Australia (‘DBA’) for the profession?

What do I need to know about the registration requirements?

Before making any declarations, you should read through the DBA’s Standards, Codes, Policies and Guidelines so that you are able to update Ahpra regarding your situation. The Dental Board also publish “FAQ” information sheets which provide wider detail on the Board’s expectations for appropriate professional standards.

Tips for completing your application for renewal:

Know your BBV status: All registered health practitioners who perform exposure-prone procedures, or who are living with a blood-borne virus, need to be aware of their BBV status and comply with CDNA Guidelines . This means being tested for BBVs at least once every three years.
Make sure your use of title and advertising is compliant: Since 2020, health practitioners have been asked to declare that, if they advertise, their advertising meets the advertising requirements of the National Law. Ahpra conducts random audits of practitioner advertising. A recent audit of dental practitioners identified that 19% of practitioners had one or more breaches of the advertising rules. The most common breach related to use of specialist titles. Dental practitioners are not permitted to call themselves a specialist or state that they specialise in a specific field or service, unless they hold specialist registration in a relevant specialty. Check Ahpra’s advertising hub to ensure your advertising is compliant with the National Law.
Answer questions on workforce data accurately: Ahpra collects annual workforce data under the National Law including the number of hours worked. It is important to answer this question accurately as the Boards statistics feed into training programs – if you are having trouble getting staff, it could be because of inaccuracies in reporting to the Board: see Dental Board of Australia - Statistics
DIY dental services: While Ahpra regulates the provision of services (that is, when the sale of a product is coupled with a service) through to criminal offences which relate to performing restricted dental acts and unlawful advertising, it does not regulate the product itself. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has oversight of therapeutic products. The Board expects that registered dental practitioners will exercise their professional judgement and work within the scope of their competence, education and training. The Board has power to enforce restrictions on practice where these are necessary to protect the public.
Disclosure of financial and commercial dealings: The Board’s Code of conduct requires a practitioner to have the care of the patient as the primary concern in clinical practice. The code also requires a practitioner to be transparent in financial and commercial matters relating to work, including dealings with employers, insurers and other organisations or individuals. In particular, declaring to patients or consumers any professional and financial interest in any product or service a practitioner might endorse or sell from their practice and not making an unjustifiable profit from the sale or endorsement.
Understand the Board’s (CPD) requirements - you must complete a minimum of 60 hours of continuing professional development (with at least 80% of this being scientifically-based) over each 3-year CPD cycle. The Board specifically recommends that you regularly undertake a CPD course in infection control each renewal period. A logbook of your CPD activities for each 3-year cycle should be kept and retained against an Ahpra audit request.
All registered dental practitioners require independent PI insurance. Corporate or PHI employees - you must be named on the policy and the policy must be deemed to be an “appropriate PI arrangement” by the Board. Do not just take an employer’s word for this. Before you make this declaration, the Board suggests:
- Check your PII coverage – is it current and comprehensive?
- Set yourself a reminder and renew your PI Insurance on time.
- If you’re a graduate, get your PII sorted out before you start practicing.
- If you are working as a volunteer or in an unpaid position, you are still required to have appropriate professional indemnity insurance arrangements in place.
- If you’ve changed your credit card or bank details, or your email address or phone number, make sure your insurer has your up-to-date details.

It is illegal to practice unless you are both registered (with Aphra) and insured (by an appropriate PII)

Criminal history declaration: When making a declaration about criminal history, registered health practitioners must declare their entire criminal history from Australia and any other country including spent convictions.

What do I need to do to maintain an endorsement for conscious sedation?

If you are applying for renewal of your endorsement for conscious sedation, you must attach a certified copy of attendance certificate from a Board-approved refresher course as evidence that you have attended in the past 12 months.

Do I need to be endorsed to treat patients under relative analgesia (nitrous oxide sedation)?

No. You do not need to be endorsed to administer relative analgesia using nitrous oxide/oxygen on its own or in combination with local anesthetic as long as the state of conscious sedation is not achieved. However, if you wish to induce a level of conscious sedation in a patient you must be endorsed by the Dental Board prior to doing so.

Need more information?

The Dental Board of Australia website is a font of useful information and is the source of much of the above material. Alternatively, if you would like to discuss your situation confidentially with a colleague, then please contact the Branch on 8271 8111 and ask to speak with your peer advisor.