NewZealand Overview for Dentists

Picture courtesy -Dr Afrah Misbah

“The Only Way To Do Great Work Is To Love What You Do. If You Haven’t Found It Yet, Keep Looking. Don’t Settle.” – Steve Jobs

WORKING IN NEW ZEALAND

• The Dental Council of New Zealand is a regulatory authority created by the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. It ensures oral health practitioners meet and maintain our standards in order to protect the health and safety of the New Zealand public.

• To register as an oral health practitioner in New Zealand, you must have a prescribed qualification or a qualification assessed as being equivalent to, or as to satisfactory to a prescribed qualification.

• You must also be fit for registration.

Pathways for gaining registration as a dentist in NZ

• To apply to register as an oral health practitioner under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003, you must meet these criteria:

1. You must be fit for registration

2. Dental Council-approved English tests
   

   • Council has approved the following two English tests:

   • International English Language Testing (IELTS) - Avg score of 7.5, with 7 in each element

   • Occupational English Test (OET) - should be a pass with A or B in all 4 components

3.You must have a prescribed qualification

4. If you don’t have a prescribed qualification, you must have a qualification that’s assessed as being equivalent to, or as to satisfactory as, a prescribed qualification for your scope of practice

5.You must be competent to practise within that scope of practice.

Recognition Procedures in NZ

• If you are from Overseas and have Prescribed qualifications (cost$ 1,420) then check the correct form from - online assessment tool

• If you are registered in Australia, you may be eligible for Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition. (cost$ $ 4300)

• ​If your qualifications ​ are not prescribed, you have two choices

1. Sit an examination - The NZDREX

2. Apply to have your overseas, non-prescribed qualifications, training and experience assessed. (This may be changing soon and may not be available after march - 2020.)In some circumstances, the Council may require a 6-12 month mentoring programme from your employer.

NZDREX Examinations (All information from the DCNZ)

• If you decide to enter the NZDREX pathway by enrolling in the NDEB equivalency process you do not need to advise us or complete any application forms with us.

• The equivalency process comprises the following three components:
  

  1. An assessment of your fundamental knowledge (AFK)

  2. An assessment of your clinical judgement (ACJ)

  3. An assessment of your clinical skills (ACS).

• Just follow all the processes required by NDEB Canada, and once you have successfully completed the equivalency process and received the necessary confirmation from the NDEB, you will have gained NZDREX. (Cost 5600)

• Please note you do not need the OSCE for these exams.

Annual Practicing Certificate (APC)

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• You can apply for registration using their online services.

• The cost being - $ 1,1700 per annum.

• Cost details