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Dentists

See below for your:

  • scope of practice - the health service a practitioner is permitted to perform
  • competencies - the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours needed to deliver the scope of practice
  • prescribed qualifications - the qualifications that have gone through a formal accreditation or approval process and recognised by the Council.

The Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (HPCA Act) describes a scope of practice as the health service that a practitioner registered in that scope of practice is permitted to perform, subject to any conditions for the time being imposed by the responsible authority.

The Dental Council publishes a scope of practice as a Notice in the New Zealand Gazette under section 11 of the HPCA Act.

General dental practice encompasses the practice of dentistry in the maintenance of health through the assessment, diagnosis, management, treatment and prevention of any disease, disorder or condition of the orofacial complex and associated structures in accordance with a dentist’s approved education, training, experience and competence.

The scope of practice encompasses the dentist competencies.

Practice in this context goes wider than clinical dentistry to include teaching, research, and management, given that such roles influence clinical practice and public safety.

Areas of general dental practice which were not included in a practitioner’s training should not be undertaken unless the practitioner has completed appropriate training and practises to the standards required by the Standards framework for oral health practitioners.

The Dental Council defines competence as the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviours (‘competencies’) an oral health practitioner must have to practise safely, competently, and professionally in their scope of practice.

The dentist competencies describe the minimum competencies a dental graduate must achieve through their education and training to be registered in the scope of general dental practice. 

The competencies prescribe the scope of practice for general dental practice.

The competencies are presented in the following domains:

  • Ngaiotanga - Professionalism
  • Whakawhiti kōrero - Communication
  • Kaiakatanga ahurea - Cultural competence 
  • Haumarutanga ahurea - Cultural safety 
  • Ngā whakaaro kaikini - Critical thinking
  • Mōhiotanga pūtaiao me te haumaru - Scientific and clinical knowledge
  • Tiaki turoro - Patient care
  • Te hauora ā-waha o te hapori - Community oral health.

The competencies broadly describe the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours expected of a dentist; and are outcomes focussed. The learning curriculum will provide the level and extent of detail needed to facilitate graduates’ achievement of these competencies, for registration in the scope of practice for general dental practice.

It is assumed that all competencies are performed with a degree of quality consistent with patient and whānau well-being, and that dentists can self-evaluate the quality and effectiveness of the care they provide.

There is also a clear link between a number of the competencies and the standards embodied in the standards framework that registered oral health practitioners must meet.

The attached word version includes English hover text for Kupu Māori.

The Dental Council has prescribed the following qualifications for the general dental scope of practice:

New Zealand accredited programmes

  • Bachelor of Dental Surgery, University of Otago
  • Bachelor of Dental Surgery with Honours, University of Otago

Competent authority - qualification

Australia

  • An Australian Dental Council accredited programme1.
  • An Australian educational institution dental degree approved by the Dental Board of Australia for the purposes of general dentistry registration in Australia2.
  • A dental degree and a pass in the Australian Dental Council licensing examinations.

1   Before 30 June 2010, and before 17 October 2010 for Western Australia.

2   From 1 July 2010 onwards, and 18 October 2010 onwards for Western Australia.

United States of America (USA)

  • A USA educational institution dental degree accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation.
  • A dental degree and a pass in the USA licensing examinations3.

3   United States of America licensing examinations must include a theory assessment and a psychomotor clinical assessment.

Canada

  • A Canadian educational institution dental degree accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada.
  • A dental degree and a pass in the National Dental Examining Board of Canada Equivalency Examination Process4.

4   A pass in all of the National Dental Examining Board of Canada Equivalency Examinations after 3 March 2014.

Ireland

  • A Republic of Ireland educational institution dental degree by the Dental Council of Ireland5.

5   Graduate cohorts from 2022 onwards.

United Kingdom (UK)

  • An approved UK educational institution dental degree accredited by the General Dental Council.
  • An approved Commonwealth educational institution dental degree accredited by the General Dental Council, as listed below:

Dental school

Recognition dates

Student must have completed and satisfied all programme requirements before the end-date listed below
Western Cape Before 1 January 1998
Hong Kong Before 1 January 2001
Singapore Before 1 January 2001
Witwatersrand Before 1 January 2001
Pretoria Before 1 January 2001
Stellenbosch Before 1 January 2001
Medical University of South Africa 1 January 1997 - 31 December 2000
Malaysia 1 January 1997 - 31 December 2000

Competent authority - registration (from 1 November 2026)6

  • Current full/unrestricted/unconditional registration in general dental practice with one or more competent authority(s) recognised by the Dental Council7; and
  • Clinical practice8 in general dentistry in one or more competent authority(s) for at least 33 months (working 20 hours or more per week) during the 48 months immediately prior to application.

6   Upon commencement of practice in New Zealand, practitioners registered under the competent authority registration pathway will practise under the oversight of a Dental Council approved practitioner for a period of at least six months under the terms of the oversight protocol.

7  United Kingdom (General Dental Council), Republic of Ireland (Dental Council of Ireland), Canada (provincial dental regulators), United States of America (state dental boards), Australia (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) for the purposes of general dental practice.

8  Clinical practice means the maintenance of health through the assessment, diagnosis, management, treatment, and prevention of any disease, disorder or condition of the orofacial complex and associated structures.

Comparable health system (from 1 November 2026)9

  • Current full/unrestricted/unconditional registration in general dental practice in one or more comparable health system(s) recognised by the Dental Council10; and
  • Clinical practice11 in general dentistry in one or more of the recognised comparable health system(s) for at least 33 months (working 20 hours or more per week) during the 48 months immediately prior to the application12.

9  Upon commencement of practice in New Zealand, practitioners registered under the comparable health system pathway will practise under the direct (onsite) supervision of a Dental Council approved practitioner for at least 12 months under the terms of the supervision protocol.

10  Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the Netherlands for the purposes of general dental practice.

11  Clinical practice means the maintenance of health through the assessment, diagnosis, management, treatment, and prevention of any disease, disorder or condition of the orofacial complex and associated structures.

12  Comparable health system practice experience within the required timeframe may be combined with competent authority practice experience where that experience is not sufficient for the competent authority registration pathway.

New Zealand examination

  • A dentist qualification and a pass in the New Zealand Dental Registration Examination13.

13  Administered by the National Dental Examining Board of Canada on behalf of the Dental Council since August 2015.

Limited registration: Teaching and research (from 1 November 2026)14, 15

Current registration with a recognised overseas oral health registering or licensing body in a Dental Council recognised scope of practice, that allows the practitioner to conduct oral health research and/or teaching relevant to the oral health profession.

14  To apply for registration in the teaching and research scope of practice, the practitioner must have confirmation of employment by a New Zealand tertiary education and/or research provider for New Zealand accredited oral health programmes.

15  Upon commencement of practice in New Zealand, the practitioner must work under the supervision of a Dental Council approved practitioner. Supervision is a permanent feature of the teaching and research scope of practice; this pathway does not lead to unconditional registration and the practitioner cannot undertake any individual or private clinical practice, including under supervision.