Doctor of Dental Surgery
Course code: MC-DDENSUR
January
Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) available
Access Melbourne is available
January
AUD $112,000 (2026 indicative first year fee)
IELTS 7.0 with written 7.0 and no band less than 6.5
Career outcomes
Overview
What are the career outcomes for Doctor of Dental Surgery graduates?
The Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) at the University of Melbourne empowers you to become a leader in oral health. You’ll graduate with the essential competencies to register as a dentist, supported by exceptional clinical training and modern facilities. The program’s focus on prevention, evidence-based care, and community service will prepare you to deliver meaningful, high-quality care and make a real difference in people’s lives.
What are the top career paths after completing the Doctor of Dental Surgery?
- Become a dentist. Register for practice as a dentist in Australia or apply for certification overseas. Strong international links and mutual recognition of qualifications create a pathway for graduates to apply to practice in Canada.
- Specialise further. Many graduates move on to fields like orthodontics, prosthodontics, dental implants, and cosmetic dentistry through our Doctor of Clinical Dentistry.
- Research. For those drawn to research or academia, your DDS qualification will open doors locally and internationally, giving you the chance to create a rewarding career.
What is the expected salary for Doctor of Dental Surgery graduates?
The expected entry level salary for a Doctor of Dental Surgery graduate practicing as a general dentist is $70,000-100,000 plus super. This can be higher for regional or international opportunities that have relocation costs.
The average salary after 3-4 years for a Doctor of Dental Surgery graduate working as a general dentist is $100,000-$180,000+ plus super.
(Source: Economic Research Institute 2026).
What can you do with a Doctor of Dental Surgery?
Employers in this field include:
- Private practice as a sole practitioner or in a larger clinic.
- Community health centres in cities, metropolitan areas, and rural/regional communities.
- Hospitals and dental clinics such as the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne.
- Research and academic institutions such as Bio21 and the Centre for Oral Health Research (COHR) at the Melbourne Dental School.
What accreditation does the Doctor of Dental Surgery provide?
Graduates of the Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) are eligible to apply for registration with The Dental Board of Australia under The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Graduates may also apply for registration in New Zealand through the Dental Council (New Zealand). Graduates are also encouraged to join the Australian Dental Association (ADA), which provides career support and community for dentists.
How does the Doctor of Dental Surgery help to make industry connections?
The Doctor of Dental Surgery connects you with renowned educators, researchers and mentors.
- Clinical placements across metropolitan and wider Melbourne, connecting you with established dental practitioners
- Industry networking events and panels hosted with diverse and interesting speakers. DDS students have even presented their own projects at conferences.
What career support services are available for the Doctor of Dental Surgery students?
- Student led mentorship programs that pair you with senior DDS students to guide you through your first semester.
- Career and specialty nights hosted by the Melbourne Dental Students’ Society to hear real insights into the dental profession.
- Networking events with alumni and professionals.
- Career counselling through one-on-one appointments, drop-ins, and careers workshops.
What further study options are available after this course?
Graduates are well prepared for pathways to further study, including:
- Further specialisation through the Doctor of Clinical Dentistry in Endodontics, Oral Medicine, Orthodontics, Paediatric Dentistry, Periodontics, Prosthodontics and Special Needs Dentistry.
- Graduates looking to further their research career can pursue a Master of Philosophy, PhD, or research fellowship.
Profile
Daniel Kwok
I chose to study dentistry because I knew I wanted to work in the field of health science to be able to help people improve their self-confidence and quality of life. But I also wanted to fix problems and create solutions with my hands. Dentistry is the perfect combination of biology and arts and is the ideal career pathway for me.
Melbourne Dental School provides highly advanced pre-clinical facilities, renown educators and researchers, up-to-date literature and many opportunities to work with real-life patients.
I found the clinical experience to be the most valuable part of the program offered. We are led and guided by excellent dental practitioners and dental specialists who impart their knowledge, skills and technique to us allowing us to develop and improve our craftmanship every single day.
Being able to treat patients at such an early stage exposes us to a lot of clinical experience by the time we graduate.
Graduate pathways
Once you've completed your undergraduate degree, you can go on to gain employment or begin a graduate degree and work towards a professional qualification such as law, engineering or medicine. Or you could join our graduate research community and contribute to our world-changing research.
Your graduate degree will be internationally recognised, and set you apart from those who study a traditional Australian single or double degree.
Explore the graduate pathways available once you complete your undergraduate degree here.