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Oral Health practitioner register Practitioner portal

Individual assessment pathway

If you do not hold an overseas prescribed qualification, you may be eligible to apply for registration via individual assessment of your qualifications and experience. 

We can only accept your application for assessment if you can provide the curriculum and syllabus from the qualification that you are submitting for individual assessment. Unless you are a new graduate, you will also need to provide cases examples of treatment that you have provided in the last 3 years as an independent practitioner while holding full and unconditional registration appropriate for the scope of practice in which you are applying.  

As this process is designed to protect public health and safety, assessments can take time to complete. We recommend that you allow 12 months to obtain an outcome of your application. Ensuring complete applications with all the requested supporting documents will avoid delays.

To apply

You will need to create an account on the practitioner portal, and then select the individual assessment application form in the drop-down menu. Alternatively, if you complete the self-assessment tool, you will be prompted to set up an account and can then continue your application from there.

Before applying, you need to ensure that you prepare all of the documentation required. The documents that you need to provide with your application are listed in the Supporting documents guide. 

Please ensure you understand the registration options and requirements before applying. Withdrawal fees apply to applications that are withdrawn.

Case examples

If more than 12 months have passed since you completed your qualification when you submit a complete application, you must provide case examples of treatment you have provided as an independent practitioner while holding full and unconditional registration for the scope of practice in which you are applying. 

Your case examples must:

  • involve treatment that began within three years of your application
  • be cases where you were the lead clinician
  • demonstrate your competence across the scope of practice you are applying for.

Case examples form an important part of the competence assessment and will be discussed during your interview.

Application process

Step 1: Application review

Once you submit your completed application and your payment is received, it will be assigned to a registration officer. The registration officer will review your application and may request additional information or clarification if needed.

If your application is incomplete, or you do not respond to requests for clarification and/or further information within 3 months of it being requested, your application may be withdrawn.

Step 2: Assessment panel

When your application is ready for assessment, a registration assessment panel is appointed, relevant to the scope of practice you have applied for. This usually includes:

  • an academic assessor
  • a practising clinician.

The panel reviews your qualifications, training and experience before conducting an online interview. 

Qualifications

Under the law, we may treat an overseas qualification as prescribed if it is considered equivalent to, or as satisfactory as, a prescribed qualification.

This assessment includes a review of:

  • qualifications
  • curriculum content
  • clinical education and training
  • assessment methods.

Your qualification will generally be compared against relevant New Zealand-accredited or Dental Board of Australia-approved programmes.

The Dental Council is reliant on you providing sufficient documentation for assessment.

Competence to practise

You must demonstrate that your qualifications, training and experience meet the entry-level competencies for practice in New Zealand.

Experienced practitioners

If your qualification was completed more than 12 months before you submit a complete application, you will need to provide evidence of:

  • clinical experience
  • continuing professional development
  • cases of treatment that you have provided in the past 3 years.

Because the number of case examples is limited, select cases that best demonstrate the breadth of your competence.

Recent graduates

If you submit a complete application within 12 months of completing your qualification, you will not usually be required to provide case examples. Your competence assessment will be based primarily on your qualification.

We recommend applying as early as possible within the 12-month period. Incomplete applications submitted after this period may need to be withdrawn and resubmitted with case examples.

Online interview

After reviewing your application, the registration assessment panel will conduct an online interview. The interview gives assessors an opportunity to:

  • clarify information in your application
  • discuss your qualifications, training and experience
  • explore your clinical decision-making and competence.

You do not need to formally present your case examples, but you must be able to discuss them in detail, including:

  • diagnosis
  • treatment planning
  • differential diagnosis
  • outcomes
  • reflection.

The registration assessment panel prepares a report for consideration by the Education Director, Deputy Registrar and Registrar.

The Registrar may:

  • approve your application, or
  • refer it to the Council for a decision.

If we have concerns about your application

If the Council has concerns about your qualifications, competence or fitness for registration, it may propose declining your application.

Before a final decision is made, you will have an opportunity to respond by:

  • providing a written submission, and/or
  • attending an in-person or video conference meeting.

If your application is successful, you will need to complete a period of oversight or supervised practice. This will include the requirement to complete the Oral health practice in New Zealand course, a series of e-learning modules designed to help you understand New Zealand’s regulatory, professional, and practice requirements.  

Oversight or supervision will be included as a condition on your practice, and you will need to have an approved arrangement in place before you can be issued a practising certificate. 

Ready to apply via the individual assessment pathway?

Use the self-assessment tool to identify the pathway most appropriate for your qualifications and experience.

You can create a practitioner portal login and continue your application from the self-assessment tool.

Self-assessment tool