INFORMATION FOR REGISTERED TRAINING ORGANISATIONS

Recognised Courses Leading to Registration as a
Dental Technician or Dental Prosthetist

In accordance with section 13(2)(a) of the Dental Technicians Registration Act 1975, the Dental Technicians Registration Board (the Board) may approve courses of training in technical work that lead to registration as a dental technician or to being granted a practising certificate as a dental prosthetist.

Recognition by the Board provides assurance that the courses, if delivered as approved by the Board, will not require further scrutiny when a graduate applies for registration as a dental technician or dental prosthetist.

For the purpose of registration as a dental technician, the Board has approved the Diploma of Dental Technology Course HLT50507 contained within the Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council’s Health Training Package HLT07. For the purpose of being granted a practising certificate as a dental prosthetist, the Board has approved the Advanced Diploma of Dental Prosthetics HLT60407, also drawn from the Industry Skills Council’s Health Training Package HLT07. That particular training package was endorsed by the National Quality Council on 25 January 2007 and supported by the Ministerial Delegates on 12 February 2007.

To support the effective implementation of the Health Training Package, the Industry Skills Council has developed a suite of resources for employers and Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) including CD ROMs, Implementation Guides, Full Qualification Assessment Tools and Recognition Assessment Tools.

In New South Wales, TAFE delivers the Diploma of Dental Technology course 3051 at its Sydney Institute, Randwick College, Corner Darley Road and King Street, Randwick 2031 two to three days a week over two years. Students are required to be employed in an approved dental laboratory when not attending TAFE and they must accrue 3500 hours of paid employment in addition to passing the Diploma in order to be considered eligible for registration in NSW.

Randwick College also conducts the Advanced Diploma of Dental Prosthetics course 3052. Training is delivered on a part time basis at Sydney Dental Hospital one day per week over two years and theory is integrated to complement the acquisition of specialised knowledge in an accredited public hospital with a dental facility treating public patients. It is a pre-requisite of the course that students be registered as dental technicians and be able to demonstrate competency in a defined string of compulsory units delivered in the Diploma of Dental Technology (or equivalent).

Registered Training Organisations contemplating delivery of either the Diploma of Dental Technology (AQF) or Advanced Diploma of Dental Prosthetics (AQF) are required to submit their proposal to the Board, addressing the following points:

• Training package qualifications
• Nominal Hours for each qualification
• Approval of training and assessment strategy/plan
• Trainers and assessors requirements
• Facility requirements
• Theoretical/Clinical requirements, duration of clinical component
• Other requirements (eg assurances about concurrent employment in laboratories)