Graduate Certificate in Dental Therapy (Advanced Clinical Practice)

Course code: GC-DTACP

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Domestic students

domestic

International students

international

Duration

6 months full time

Mode (Location)

Mixed Attendance Mode

Intake

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Fees

AUD $18,000 (2026 indicative first year fee). Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) are not available

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How to apply

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Duration

6 months full time

Mode (Location)

Mixed Attendance Mode

Intake

See How to apply

Fees

AUD $19,424 (2026 indicative first year fee)

Learn more

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5: with no band less than 6.0

View full entry requirements

How to apply

Enquire

Overview

This course will prepare you to translate your existing scope to provide dental therapy restorative care for patients of all ages. You will develop the knowledge and skills to apply evidence-based, person-centred care in a high-quality learning environment. With the support of our academic and clinical dental staff, you will apply your learning with patients in our clinics and have the benefit of clinical case learning and interactive and collaborative team dentistry practice, and assessment of competence.

We support your continued learning through mentored clinical practice in your own clinic, which includes training for your mentor and a community of practice, enabling flexible and continued work-integrated learning in your own practice. All the benefits of the Melbourne Dental School’s rich research and learning environment, including our libraries and world-leading academics, are available to you as undertake clinical practice for adult dental therapy, including diagnosis and treatment planning for restorative care for people aged over 18 years.

All subjects are required to be attempted in the same semester.

Course structure and dates

The course comprises three subjects: 2 x 12.5 points and 1 x 25 points, totaling 50 points of study which must be taken concurrently.

The course dates for the 2024 Graduate Certificate in Dental Therapy are:

Introductory session on Thursday June 20, 2024 (7pm Melbourne time)
Ten weeks of online learning (self-complete modules and weekly tutorials on Thursday evenings) beginning June 20 and running until the end of August 2024
All students will be required to attend 2 weeks (10 days) onsite for the Clinical Intensive component at the Melbourne Dental School, Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne.

This is scheduled from Monday October 21, 2024, until Friday November 1, 2024.

10 weeks of clinical experience in your own practice settings completing at least 80 hours of adult dental therapy practice, with the support of a credentialled Clinical Mentor* (dentist or dental therapist/oral health therapist with adult scope qualifications) commencing Monday September 9, 2024, and ending Friday November 29, 2024
Some online assessments to be completed during September 2024
Swot vac (study) period scheduled to prepare for exams, commencing Monday 2 December 2024 and ending Thursday 5 December 2024
Two days of assessments (online exams) between Friday 6 December 2024 and Wednesday 11 December 2024.

*Supervisor credentialling requires the mentor/supervisor to undertake an online training module and webinar to prepare for clinical mentoring and assessments. Students will be required to identify a Mentor with their application (more information under Entry Requirements)

While this is a one-semester, full-time course, this structure allows participation for clinicians who wish to maintain existing employment and study while managing family commitments. The integration of clinical and didactic elements is important to skill development for participants. Completion of this course will qualify practicing dental therapists and oral health therapists to expand service provision to patients of all ages within their scope of practice.

Delivery mode

This course is delivered mostly online; ten weeks of online intensive coursework and two weeks of clinical training at the Melbourne Dental School. Further information regarding requirements for the clinical intensive component and clinical experience in your own practice will be available on the LMS (Learning Management System - online learning platform) once you enrol, and in the Week 1 Course Orientation webinar.

Assessment

Each subject is formally assessed to meet the requirements of University accreditation, involving class presentations, clinical case-based assessments, oral exams and workbook assessments.

Explore this course

Explore the subjects you could choose as part of this certificate.

Core

All subjects are required to be attempted in the same semester as the course is only offered full-time.

Accordion
Oral Health Practice 4 · 25 pts	The subject Oral Health Practice 4 encompasses all clinical based learning for the Grad Cert Adult Therapy Scope course at the Melbourne Dental School. It will be conducted as a clinically based component. This subject is taught in close conjunction with subjects Oral Health Sciences 4 & Oral Pathology & Adult Oral Function. Clinical teaching and learning activities will be centered at the Melbourne Dental School and further supplementary learning within community dental clinic settings. This subject has the following components: Comprehensive adult oral health examinations, management of the older adult, communication skills, medically compromised patients, periodontology, dental materials, prosthodontics, oral medicine and pharmacology, local anaesthesia, dental emergency management and cariology. Student learning will include: the importance of oral medicine, pharmacological interactions and medically compromised patients on the needs/care of adult patients; the skills required to communicate effectively in the management of this client group; the diagnosis and management of disease patterns and dental emergencies; selection and use of appropriate dental materials; the appreciation of an older occlusion and complications to restorative care. View detailed information in the Handbook
Oral Pathology and Adult Oral Function · 12.5 pts	This subject has the following components: Comprehensive oral health examination and treatment planning for adults, management of the older adult, periodontology, prosthodontics and cariology. It will be conducted as didactic component and using virtual clinical case based teaching. This subject continues alongside subjects Oral Health Sciences 4 and Oral Health Practice 4. Teaching and learning activities will be centered at the Melbourne Dental School with support via the computer aided learning management system. View detailed information in the Handbook
Oral Health Sciences 4 · 12.5 pts	This subject has the following components: Medically compromised patients, oral medicine and pharmacology, local anaesthesia and emergency management of oral conditions. It will be conducted as a didactic and case based component. This subject continues alongside subjects Oral Pathology and Adult Oral Function & Oral Health Practice 4. Teaching and learning activities will be centered at the Melbourne Dental School and supported via the computer aided learning management system. Student learning will include: the importance of oral medicine being recognition and identification of oral pathological conditions; pharmacological interactions with the adult population; management of the poly-medicated patient and those with physical, intellectual and sensory disabilities; management of medically compromised adult patients; local anaesthetic administration to the adult client and emergency management of oral conditions such as acute oral infection and dental trauma. View detailed information in the Handbook

Accordion

Oral Health Practice 4 · 25 pts

The subject Oral Health Practice 4 encompasses all clinical based learning for the Grad Cert Adult Therapy Scope course at the Melbourne Dental School. It will be conducted as a clinically based component. This subject is taught in close conjunction with subjects Oral Health Sciences 4 & Oral Pathology & Adult Oral Function. Clinical teaching and learning activities will be centered at the Melbourne Dental School and further supplementary learning within community dental clinic settings.

This subject has the following components: Comprehensive adult oral health examinations, management of the older adult, communication skills, medically compromised patients, periodontology, dental materials, prosthodontics, oral medicine and pharmacology, local anaesthesia, dental emergency management and cariology.

Student learning will include: the importance of oral medicine, pharmacological interactions and medically compromised patients on the needs/care of adult patients; the skills required to communicate effectively in the management of this client group; the diagnosis and management of disease patterns and dental emergencies; selection and use of appropriate dental materials; the appreciation of an older occlusion and complications to restorative care.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Oral Pathology and Adult Oral Function · 12.5 pts

This subject has the following components: Comprehensive oral health examination and treatment planning for adults, management of the older adult, periodontology, prosthodontics and cariology. It will be conducted as didactic component and using virtual clinical case based teaching.

This subject continues alongside subjects Oral Health Sciences 4 and Oral Health Practice 4. Teaching and learning activities will be centered at the Melbourne Dental School with support via the computer aided learning management system.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Oral Health Sciences 4 · 12.5 pts

This subject has the following components: Medically compromised patients, oral medicine and pharmacology, local anaesthesia and emergency management of oral conditions. It will be conducted as a didactic and case based component.

This subject continues alongside subjects Oral Pathology and Adult Oral Function & Oral Health Practice 4. Teaching and learning activities will be centered at the Melbourne Dental School and supported via the computer aided learning management system.

Student learning will include: the importance of oral medicine being recognition and identification of oral pathological conditions; pharmacological interactions with the adult population; management of the poly-medicated patient and those with physical, intellectual and sensory disabilities; management of medically compromised adult patients; local anaesthetic administration to the adult client and emergency management of oral conditions such as acute oral infection and dental trauma.

View detailed information in the Handbook