dentistry This is a detailed profile of the dentistry field of study. It lists the range of specialisations available and compares degreelevel courses. We examine the institutions that get the best ratings, based on real student experience and graduate outcome data, which will help you decide the right university for your educational journey.
dentistry Dentistry is a clinically focused career, requiring an aptitude for hands-on work and strengths in science and mathematics. It is a competitive field, offering a high-status profession at the end of your study, with considerable scope for specialisation as you gain experience. what can i do? full-time employment postgraduate Proportion of students who have secured a full-time job within four months of graduating. 85.3% number of students Dental Hygiene Dental Therapy 87.8% median graduate salary $80,000 $100,000 postgraduate 405 inter 2,248 1,520 postgraduate Oral Health Therapy Dental Nursing Data has been sourced from the Graduate Outcomes Survey. Results are pooled to represent graduates who completed the survey in 2017, 2016, 2015 and 2014. Graduate complete the Graduate Outcomes Survey approximately four month post graduation. Dentistry 2 THE GOOD UNIVERSITIES GUIDE
FIVE-STAR UNIVERSITIES DENTISTRY educational experience graduate employment learner engagement learning resources JCU 83.9% JCU 94.6% MELBOURNE 81.6% NEWCASTLE 88.4% CURTIN 82.3% ADELAIDE 75.5% CQUni 82.9% GRIFFITH 82.6% average = 72.9% average = 85.3% average = 66.7% average = 76.7% median starting salary skills development student support teaching quality JCU $95,200 MELBOURNE 94.6% NEWCASTLE 82.5% NEWCASTLE 82.9% SYDNEY 92.9% CURTIN 76.0% CURTIN 80.3% NEWCASTLE 92.8% GRIFFITH 80.3% average = $80,000 average = 86.3% average = 70.2% average = 74.7% what do these numbers mean? The ratings above represent the top 20 per cent of results for each measure in this particular field of study. For overall institution results, see the ratings section at the front of the guide. 3 THE GOOD UNIVERSITIES GUIDE
dentistry Dentistry is a small, well-known and high-status profession. In general practice, dentists perform tasks associated with diagnosing, treating and preventing disease and abnormalities of the teeth, gums and mouth. An degree gets you this far, being the main requirement for registration in all states and territories. Dentists can also specialise in a number of areas, earning titles ranging from the familiar (such as orthodontist and oral surgeon) to the unusual (periodontist and prosthodontist) and the glamorous (forensic odontologist). Becoming a specialist involves several years of experience and usually postgraduate study. Dentistry is a clinically focused career, requiring an aptitude for hands-on work and strengths in science and mathematics. It s also important to have people skills and a genuine desire to help patients achieve optimal dental health. Most dentists work in private practice, although there are opportunities for employment in government services and the Defence Force. In recent years there has been growing recognition and more education options for allied oral health professionals such as dental hygienists and dental therapists, leading to changes in the roles of dentists themselves, particularly those in general practice. If you are interested in this field you might also consider medicine, health services and support, rehabilitation or nursing. COURSES AND SPECIALISATIONS Course options include graduate entry programs and predentistry degrees, which, once completed, are followed by a postgraduate course before registration. This adoption of the US model, where s enter a general pre-professional degree and then transfer to a postgraduate qualification in their professional area, has the potential to become more common in the future. As is often the case with professional fields of study, there is little variation in the content and structure of the degrees in this field, as they must all satisfy similar criteria to be accredited by registration authorities. In dentistry, the trend is usually to begin the course with some foundation science, progressing to applied dental science in the middle years, followed by a final year (or two) spent mostly in clinical placements. For more information, visit: Australian Dental Association www.ada.org.au Dental Board of Australia www.dentalboard.gov.au WHERE TO STUDY The dentistry field remains small but has expanded in recent years, with the introduction of new dentistry schools across the country. Institutions offering dentistry courses have their own clinical facilities for practical learning, including fully operational clinics (which are open to the public in some cases). When researching courses, be sure to check out the quality of facilities on offer. In addition, all students in their last semester or year should be in placements out in the community. It is worth noting that all courses are hard to get into and are also quite long (around five years). Admission to all courses generally requires a high ATAR and good performance in the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test (UMAT), as well as a range of prerequisite subjects and usually an interview. 4 THE GOOD UNIVERSITIES GUIDE
student TESTIMONIAL - EMMA Bachelor of Health Sciences in Dentistry/Master of Dentistry Why did you choose to study dentistry? I was always interested in studying a health science course, but was unsure about the exact field. Having had a great family dentist growing up, I was left with such a positive perception of the profession and thought that it could be something that I would really enjoy doing. What is the best thing about your course? Dentistry is hard work, but it can also be very rewarding. It s amazing how a person s dental health and appearance can influence their self-confidence. Knowing that I have helped to take people out of pain, improve their wellbeing and given some patients the confidence to socialise and smile is very satisfying. There is also a large emphasis on practical classes and clinical experience, which gave me the opportunity to live in areas where I might not normally have the chance to visit and experience. What does your course involve? The earlier years of the course involve mostly lectures, some tutorials and plenty of pre-clinical experience (on mannequins with plastic teeth). The first year also involves anatomy classes in a wet lab with cadavers, which is an interesting experience. Clinical experience begins in third year, with occasional lectures and tutorials. What advice would you give to students considering studying dentistry? Be prepared for the course expenses along the way and making sacrifices to prioritise placement and study. For those with sporting commitments, children or part-time work commitments, moving town so often can add some strain to dayto-day life. In relation to looking for work after graduating, it s important to find a workplace where you feel comfortable and can be supported by good mentors. 5 THE GOOD UNIVERSITIES GUIDE
how to use this GUIDE FEATURES This section: Contains a detailed profile of Dentistry lists specialisations available rates and compares institutions that offer degree-level courses introduces the kinds of jobs you could obtain after graduating shows which institutions get the best ratings from graduates shows how well institutions do in retaining graduates to a second year of study shows which institutions produce the best results for their graduates UNIVERSITIES COMPARED The Five-Star Universities graphs show the institutions whose results place them in the top 20 per cent of universities in each field of study. These ratings are based on the proportion of students in a given field of study who were satisfied with their institution s performance in six student experience categories: Overall Quality of Educational Experience, Teaching Quality, Learner Engagement, Learning Resources, Student Support and Skills Development. The graphs also look at universities in the top 20 per cent for employment outcomes, including the proportion of graduates who gained full-time employment and the median salaries of graduates. Data has been sourced from the Quality Indicators of Learning and Teaching (QILT) and is based on the results from the Student Experience Survey and Graduate Destination Survey. want more info? To find out more, head to www.gooduniversitiesguide.com.au Learn all about career paths and potential jobs at www.goodcareersguide.com.au