Orthodontic auxiliary pathway

This pathway is for applicants who have completed the prescribed orthodontic auxiliary qualifications.

If you have completed the New Zealand Association of Orthodontists' Certificate of Orthodontic Assisting qualification, or the Graduate Certificate of Orthodontic Assisting qualification, you can apply for registration through the practitioner portal.

To work as an orthodontic auxiliary once you have completed your training, you must apply for registration and be granted a practising certificate. It is important that you apply for registration and enter practise within 12 months of completing your qualification to maintain the skills you gained during your training.

For more information about the certificate and graduate certificate pathways, review the pathways diagram.

To register under this pathway, you need to hold the following qualification, obtained on or after 15 February 2010:

Certificate of Orthodontic Assisting, New Zealand Association of Orthodontists: Orthodontic Auxiliary Training Programme.

For more information about the orthodontic auxiliary training programme, please contact the New Zealand Association of Orthodontists (NZAO). One of the entry criteria is that only trainees employed by a specialist orthodontist who is a member of NZAO can enter this training pathway.

To register using this pathway, you need:

a qualification in dental therapy, dental hygiene or dentistry
a Graduate Certificate of Orthodontic Assisting, Academy of Orthodontic Assisting
experience in the provision of orthodontic auxiliary services under the direction and supervision of a Dental Council approved dentist or dental specialist who can attest to your competence and safety to practise.

Supervised training under a Council-approved practitioner

If you hold an appropriate qualification, have met our English language requirements and have enrolled in the Trapezio online training modules, you can apply to the Council to have a supervision arrangement approved so that you can undertake your supervised training.

The supervisor must be a dentist or orthodontist approved by the Council, and they must:

be onsite at all times to advise, guide, monitor, participate or intervene in all procedures carried out by the trainee
make sure that patients are aware that the person providing the orthodontic auxiliary care is under training
make sure the patient consents to receiving care from the trainee.

Applying for a supervisor to be approved

To apply for your supervisor to be approved please submit the Eligibility to commence as a trainee orthodontic auxiliary form.

Once we have approved the supervisor, we will issue a supervision protocol for you and your supervisor to sign.

Completing the qualification requirements

You will be considered to have attained the Graduate Certificate in Orthodontic Assisting and be eligible to apply for registration once you have:

successfully completed all the Trapezio Academy of Orthodontic Assisting Level 1 online modules
received sign-off from your supervisor that you are safe and competent to perform orthodontic auxiliary tasks
successfully completed the two-day clinical programme run by the New Zealand Association of Orthodontists (NZAO) at sites within New Zealand. You must first complete your Trapezio learning and your supervisor must consider that you are ready for the clinical assessment before approaching the NZAO to enrol into the two-day clinical programme.

Apply for registration

If you have collated the required documents, you can apply for registration by creating an account in the practitioner portal.

All registration and annual practising certificate applications, practising status renewals and recertification requirements are managed through the portal.

Apply here for registration