Enrolment application for the clinical examination of the New Zealand Dental Hygiene Registration Examination (NZDHREX)

If you have passed the written examination, and are confident that you meet all the eligibility criteria for the NZDHREX clinical examination, you can submit your application. 

You will need to submit to us:

1. an application for enrolment in the clinical examination form
2. all supporting documentation indicated on the application form
3. the clinical examination fee.

Your application is valid only for the next available examination session.

If you are granted a place in the next session and fail to take it; or if you are declined a place; or if you fail to pass the examination, you will be required to submit a new application form and pay a new fee to sit the next available clinical examination.

Guidance on Hepatitis B & C and HIV report

As part of your application you must provide an original typed and signed laboratory report on your serological status as related to the viruses listed below:

• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
• Hepatitis B (HBV)
• Hepatitis C (HCV). 

The laboratory report must include the following:

• Serological test results for HIV (HIV antibody and HIV antigen), and
• Serological test results for HCV (Hepatitis C antibody), and
• Serological test results for HBV (HBV surface antigen and HBV surface antibody) OR evidence of immunity to HBV (Absence of HBV antigen, and HBV antibodies > 10IU/L) by way of an original typed and signed report which includes serological test results for HBV, from a laboratory as listed below. 

You must ensure that the test request form includes a request for your identity to be verified against your passport photograph, in the "clinical details" section, and your passport number is recorded on the form.

The report must be from one of the laboratories listed below:

• A New Zealand registered International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ) laboratory
• An overseas laboratory which is party to a mutual recognition arrangement with the IANZ
• A laboratory registered to provide services for New Zealand Immigration. 

Please note that the report must be less than three months old at the time of receipt. The only exception to this is that past evidence of hepatitis B immunity (absence of surface antigen with a surface antibody of ≥ 10 IU/L), from a laboratory listed above, will be accepted.

If you have a positive test result, your application will be referred to the Council’s TMVI Panel. The Panel will request further testing to inform its recommendation to the Council about your fitness to register as an oral health practitioner in New Zealand. The Council will decide on your eligibility for registration. 

All registered oral health practitioners must comply with the obligations set in the Council’s Blood borne viruses practice standard available on our website. 

Fees

The examination fee is payable at the time of application. The fee is set at a threshold of 4 applicants sitting the examination, which will reduce where there are a total of 5 or more applicants enrolled for the clinical examination. In this case, enrolled applicants will be refunded the difference after the registration closing date.

If you repeat the examination, you need to reapply, and pay the fee again

Examination withdrawal fees

If you cancel your application 40 working days before the examination date, then a partial refund of the fee may be granted on a case-by-case basis for limited circumstances, including medical conditions.

If you cancel inside the 40 working days, you will forfeit your application fee. If there are exceptional circumstances, we will work with you to re-schedule your examination.