A dental specialist is a registered healthcare practitioner who has completed a minimum two years of general dental practice and is fully compliant with the requirements for general registration as a dentist.

In addition, you must have completed the required amount of postgraduate study for their speciality which can range from 3-4 years through to 10 years for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

Where there is no approved course of study for your specialty in Australia such as Public Health Dentistry and Forensic Odontology, you must have your qualification approved by the Dental Board of Australia (DBA) and be registered with them as a specialist in accordance with the relevant standards.

Your patients won’t require a referral to book an appointment with you although a general dentist will usually provide one so you are fully briefed about the condition and the treatment provided to the patient to date.

Dental specialists can work in one of 13 areas of specialisation;