Working in Victoria's public dental health system

Page content: Overview | Further information

Overview

Public dental professionals provide care to a large number of Victorians and help improve understanding about the importance of oral health and prevention.

All members of the dental team contribute to Victoria’s public dental system by delivering quality services to patients based on their age and needs. Public dental teams comprise of dentists, dental therapists, dental assistants and sometimes a dental hygienist or prosthetist. This range of expertise allows team members to deliver the most appropriate care for each client and experience different approaches to dentistry and delivering care.

Public dental teams work in a supportive environment, which promotes ongoing staff development. Mentoring and other forms of clinical guidance are also integral to public dentistry, with all new graduates being offered mentoring, while experienced clinicians have the option of participating in leadership and mentoring programs.

Public dental health professionals have the advantage of experiencing great diversity in their careers. Public dentistry provides opportunities to treat a range of people with varying needs and backgrounds, from children to adults as well as people with special needs. This exposure to different client needs enables dental professionals to quickly develop a broad range of skills.

Public dentistry provides professionals with the opportunity to develop through a dedicated career structure. Flexible working arrangements including part time, full time and casual positions are available. There are also attractive incentives for rural practice and many clinics offer salary packaging.

Working in public dentistry is a rewarding career choice. The work is challenging and diverse, as well as providing qualified dental practitioners with the opportunity to make a significant social contribution to the Victorian community.

Further information

To find out more about working in Victoria’s public dental system, contact us for a copy of the Dentistry in Victoria DVD. The DVD features interviews with a range of dental professionals working in public dentistry in a variety of clinical settings.

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