How to register as a dentist in Australia: step by step

The route at a glance

Read it from top to bottom. Gold boxes are questions. Each box links to the step that explains it.

Step by step

Do the steps in order. Each one says where to go, what to have ready, what to do there, and what comes back. If a word is new to you, see Words you’ll see.

1. Check which route you are on

   Read the Dental Board’s page for overseas-qualified practitioners and its list of recognised qualifications.

   • New Zealand route: dentists registered to practise in New Zealand can apply under Trans-Tasman mutual recognition, whatever country they trained in.
   • Recognised qualification route: the Board treats certain degrees from universities in the UK, the Republic of Ireland and New Zealand (most from 2010 onwards), and Canadian DDS/DMD general dentistry degrees awarded after 31 March 2010, as equal to an Australian degree. You must also have met the registration rules of the country where you qualified (for example, the NDEB exam in Canada). No ADC exams are needed.
   • Everyone else: take the ADC assessment (steps 2 to 5), or complete a Board-approved Australian degree.

   Limited registration exists for some people who cannot get general registration, but it is not a route to general registration.

   Not in force yet: the Board has consulted on a new standard for experienced internationally qualified health practitioners, which covers dentists. As of 9 October 2026 it is not in force, and no start date or list of countries has been published.

   Where

   The Dental Board of Australia website (dentalboard.gov.au): its pages for overseas qualified practitioners. You do not need an account.

   Do this

   1. If you are registered to practise in New Zealand, use the New Zealand route: go to step 6.
   2. Otherwise, open the list of recognised qualifications and look for your university, degree and year.
   3. If it is listed, go to step 6. If not, start the ADC assessment at step 2.

   Fee

   None.

   Common mistake

   Waiting for the new pathway for experienced practitioners. As of 9 October 2026 it is not in force, and no start date has been published.

   Official links

   Overseas qualified practitioners (Dental Board) · Recognised qualifications (Dental Board)

2. ADC Stage 1: initial assessment

   The initial assessment checks your degree. You can apply at any time, but each written exam sitting has a deadline for initial assessments (see step 3).

   You need “a minimum four-year, full time university dental degree, or diploma, from a recognised university”.

   The result is successful, incomplete (send more documents) or unsuccessful.

   Where

   ADC Connect, the ADC’s online account, at connect.adc.org.au.

   Have ready

   • Current passport.
   • A recent passport photo that meets Australian passport photo rules (.jpg or .png).
   • Your dental degree certificate and academic transcript.
   • Your internship certificate, if the internship was part of your degree.
   • Legal proof of any change of name (a births, deaths and marriages certificate or a deed poll). Newspaper notices, affidavits and statutory declarations are not accepted.
   • Official translations by a state-certified translator of anything not in English, uploaded in one file with the original.

   Do this

   1. Create an ADC Connect account.
   2. At the start, choose your registration type (dentist) and the application type “initial assessment for registration”. The other choice, “skills assessment”, is for visas.
   3. Upload your documents. The photo must be a .jpg or .png file; other documents can be .pdf, .jpg, .tif, .tiff or .png. Use the ADC’s initial assessment checklist (link below) so nothing is missing.
   4. Pay as the application tells you.

   Fee

   AUD 647. Renewing it costs AUD 35 on the ADC fees page, but the ADC FAQ says AUD 265, so check before you pay (as of 9 October 2026).

   How long

   About 8 weeks, longer if anything is missing. A pass lasts 7 years. If it runs out before you renew, you start again and earlier exam passes no longer count.

   You get

   A candidate reference number when the ADC starts assessing (quote it whenever you contact the ADC), then an email with the outcome. Your expiry date shows on your ADC Connect dashboard. If you pass, go to step 3.

   Common mistake

   Using a newspaper notice, an affidavit or a statutory declaration as proof of a name change. The ADC accepts only a births, deaths and marriages certificate or a deed poll.

   Official links

   Initial assessment (ADC) · ADC Connect · Initial assessment checklist (PDF, ADC)

3. ADC Stage 2: written exam

   The exam is multiple choice on a computer, over two days in a row: 280 questions in four sections of 70, with two hours for each section. You must pass each of four groups of topics. It runs twice a year, usually in March and September, at Pearson VUE centres around the world. You may need to travel to another country.

   ADC written exam dates published on 9 October 2026

   Sitting	Initial assessment deadline	Apply	Exam
   2027, period 1	11 Oct 2026 (passed)	8–15 Dec 2026	17–18 Mar 2027
   2027, period 2	11 Apr 2027	8–15 Jun 2027	8–9 Sep 2027

   Where

   ADC Connect, to apply and pay. Then Pearson VUE’s website, to book a test centre.

   Have ready

   A valid initial assessment (valid for the application period and the exam dates). Passport and photo checked in ADC Connect. Original ID on the day, with your name exactly matching your booking.

   Do this

   1. Check that your initial assessment will still be valid on the exam dates.
   2. At the start of the application period, the ADC emails eligible candidates and an apply link appears in ADC Connect. Apply and pay. You get an email confirming your application.
   3. In the following weeks, Pearson VUE (the test-centre company) emails you an “Authorisation to Test”. It says when you can log in to book.
   4. Log in to Pearson VUE and book a test centre during the booking period, which is about two weeks. Choose the same centre for both days.
   5. Pearson VUE emails you the time, place and rules, and sends a reminder seven days before.
   6. On each day, bring one form of primary ID, with your name exactly as on your booking.

   Fee

   AUD 2,122 (as of 9 October 2026). Exams cannot be moved. If you withdraw, the ADC FAQ says a 20% admin fee applies and a 50% refund is possible up to two weeks before; nothing after that.

   How long

   About 5 months from applying to results. Results come about 6 weeks after the exam. A pass lasts 5 years. One older ADC page says 3 years, so confirm your own deadline with the ADC.

   Tries

   No limit, but each try is a new application and fee.

   You get

   Your results in ADC Connect, about six weeks after the exam. If you pass, go to step 4.

   Common mistake

   Booking travel before your venue is confirmed. Venues can change at short notice, and you may have to sit the exam in another country.

   Official links

   Written examination (ADC) · ADC exams (Pearson VUE) · Written exam handbook (PDF)

4. ADC Stage 3: practical exam

   The exam is two days in a row at the ADC exam centre, Level 6, 469 La Trobe Street, Melbourne:

   • a technical skills day: six tasks on simulators (model teeth and jaws);
   • a clinical skills day: a 10-station OSCE (a circuit of short stations, each testing a clinical skill).

   You must pass both days at one attempt. Places are limited. You cannot sit two practical periods in a row. Each period has a waiting list, and a place from it may be offered at very short notice. You must sit within 5 years of your written pass, while your initial assessment is still valid.

   ADC practical exam periods published on 9 October 2026

   Period	Apply	Choose dates	Exams
   2027, period 1	14–23 Oct 2026	27–29 Oct 2026	Jan–May 2027
   2027, period 2	10–19 Feb 2027	23–25 Feb 2027	May–Aug 2027
   2027, period 3	16–25 Jun 2027	29 Jun – 1 Jul 2027	Aug–Dec 2027

   Where

   ADC Connect, to apply, pay and choose your session. The exam is at the ADC exam centre in Melbourne.

   Have ready

   Current government-issued photo ID with your signature.

   Do this

   1. When the application period opens, an apply link appears in ADC Connect. Apply and pay. You get an email confirming your application.
   2. The ADC then emails you to choose your preferred session in ADC Connect. This date-selection window opens 48 hours after applications close and can close early when dates fill. Your choice is not confirmed yet.
   3. After the booking period, the ADC emails you your confirmed session.
   4. About four weeks before, you get your exam schedule by email.
   5. On the day, bring your ID. The ADC also takes your photo when you register.

   Fee

   AUD 4,775 (as of 9 October 2026). Withdraw more than six weeks before your date and you get 50% back; within six weeks, nothing.

   How long

   4 to 7 months from applying to results. Results come about 6 weeks after the exam. A pass does not expire.

   Tries

   The ADC states no limit.

   You get

   Your results in ADC Connect, about six weeks after the exam. If you pass, go to step 5.

   Common mistake

   Counting on your preferred dates. The ADC does not guarantee them, and you must be free to sit at any time in the examination period.

   Official link

   Practical examination (ADC) · Practical exam handbook (PDF)

5. Get your ADC certificate

   Download the “ADC Certificate (General Dentist)” from ADC Connect. The ADC also sends the Dental Board a list of people who passed. You can then apply to the Board.

   Where

   Your ADC Connect account.

   Fee

   None listed.

   Official link

   Practical exam handbook, section 10.3 (PDF)

6. Apply to the Dental Board through Ahpra

   You apply online in the Ahpra portal. Ahpra asks you to apply at least 8 weeks before you plan to start work.

   • English. You must meet the Board’s English standard, either through your education or by a test from within the two years before you apply. See the table below for test scores.
   • Criminal history. You need an international criminal history check for every country where you have lived for six months in a row or more as an adult. It comes from an Ahpra-approved supplier (AIS International or Fit2Work), whom you pay directly. The result lasts only three months, so ask for it when you apply.
   • Identity. An online check that you can do from anywhere in the world. You do not have to attend in person. Have your passport plus two of: driving licence, full birth certificate, national ID card, or credit or debit card.
   • Recency of practice. If you have not practised in the last five years, the Board looks at your history. Recent graduates are exempt.

   Minimum English test scores for tests taken on or after 23 April 2026

   Test (taken on or after 23 April 2026)	Overall	Listening	Reading	Writing	Speaking
   IELTS Academic	7	7	7	6.5	7
   OET	–	350	360	350	360
   PTE Academic	63	58	59	60	76
   TOEFL iBT	91	22	22	23	24
   Cambridge C1 Advanced	178	175	179	180	194
   Cambridge C2 Proficiency	185	185	185	176	185

   Only test-centre versions count. You can combine at most two sittings of the same test within 12 months, each with its own minimum scores. If your test was before 23 April 2026, check the older table on Ahpra’s page.

   Where

   The Ahpra practitioner portal, on ahpra.gov.au.

   Have ready

   See the checklist.

   Do this

   1. Create your account in the Ahpra practitioner portal and start an application. You can save it and come back later.
   2. Ask every regulator you have been registered with to send a certificate of good standing directly to Ahpra. It must be dated within three months of your application.
   3. Order your international criminal history check(s) from AIS International or Fit2Work.
   4. Get copies of your documents certified (see the next row), with English translations of anything not in English.
   5. Upload your documents, do the online identity check, then submit and pay.

   Certifying

   Ahpra keeps a list of who may certify documents. Outside Australia it includes, for example, a notary public and an Australian consular or diplomatic officer. The certifier must see your original in person and write “I have sighted the original document and certify this to be a true copy of the original”, with the date, their signature, name, phone number and occupation. On a document of several pages, they write this on the first page and initial and number every page.

   Fee

   From 1 October 2026: application fee AUD 611, plus general registration fee AUD 852 (AUD 775 in New South Wales). The criminal history check is paid to the supplier.

   How long

   About 2 to 3 weeks for a first review. A full assessment can take up to 6 weeks; Ahpra says “Most are done in 4-5 weeks.”

   You get

   Ahpra tells you if it needs more information, and then gives you the outcome. If you are registered, go to step 7.

   Common mistake

   Having documents certified over a video call. Ahpra says they must be certified in person.

   Official links

   International practitioners (Ahpra) · Accepted English tests (Ahpra) · International criminal history checks (Ahpra) · Proof of identity (Ahpra) · Certifying documents (Ahpra) · Fees (Dental Board)

7. Before you start work

   • Professional indemnity insurance. You must be covered, by your own insurance or someone else’s, for all your practice in every place you work. It must include civil liability cover and suitable cover for past work.
   • Visa. Visas are a separate process run by the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs. Ahpra cannot help with them, and success in one process does not guarantee the other. The ADC also offers a separate “skills assessment” used in some visa applications; it is not the registration route. To see which visas might suit you, use the Visa Finder on the Department of Home Affairs website.

   Official link

   Registration standards (Dental Board) · International practitioners (Ahpra) · Visa Finder (Department of Home Affairs)

Words you’ll see

• Dental Board of Australia: the body that registers dentists in Australia.
• Ahpra: the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, which handles registration applications for the Dental Board.
• Australian Dental Council (ADC): the body that runs the three-stage assessment for dentists whose degree is not on the Board’s recognised list.
• ADC Connect: the ADC’s online account, where you apply, pay, choose dates, get results and download your certificate.
• Initial assessment: the first ADC stage, a check of your dental degree.
• Pearson VUE and Authorisation to Test: the test-centre company that runs the written exam, and the email it sends telling you when to book your centre.
• OSCE: a circuit of short stations, each testing a clinical skill.
• ADC Certificate (General Dentist): the certificate you download after passing all three ADC stages, which lets you apply to the Board.
• Certified copy: a photocopy that a person on Ahpra’s list has compared with your original and signed as a true copy.
• State-certified translator: the kind of translator the ADC asks to translate documents that are not in English.
• Certificate of good standing: a letter from a regulator about your registration there, sent straight to Ahpra.
• International criminal history check: a police check from AIS International or Fit2Work for each country where you lived for six months in a row or more as an adult.
• Recency of practice: the Board’s rule that looks at your history if you have not practised in the last five years.
• Professional indemnity insurance: insurance that covers claims made against you by patients.
• Trans-Tasman mutual recognition: the arrangement that lets dentists registered in New Zealand apply to register in Australia.
• Skills assessment: a separate ADC check used in some visa applications, not a route to registration.

Documents checklist

Tick things off as you go. Nothing is saved: the ticks clear when you leave the page.

ADC initial assessment (uploaded to ADC Connect)

• Current passport
• Recent passport-style photo (Australian passport photo rules, .jpg or .png)
• Dental degree certificate (a degree of at least four years full time)
• Academic transcript
• Internship certificate, if the internship was part of your degree
• Legal proof of any name change (certificate or deed poll only), plus a letter from your university if it shortened or changed your name
• Certified English translations of anything not in English, uploaded with the original

ADC exams

• Passport and photo checked in ADC Connect (written exam)
• Original, current ID on the day, with your name exactly matching the booking (written exam)
• Government-issued photo ID with your signature (practical exam)

Dental Board registration through Ahpra

• Passport plus two other identity documents, for the online check
• Evidence of any previous names
• Certified copy of your dental degree and transcript, with certified translations
• ADC Certificate (General Dentist), or proof of a recognised degree or New Zealand registration
• English evidence: a test report from the last 2 years, or proof of the education route
• International criminal history check(s) from AIS International or Fit2Work (valid 3 months)
• CV, signed as true and correct
• Statements of service (your work history)
• Certificates of good standing from every regulator you have been registered with, sent directly by them and dated within three months of your application
• Professional indemnity insurance in place before you start work

Fees

All fees in Australian dollars, as of 9 October 2026. Always check the official page before you pay.

One try at each ADC stage plus the Board’s two fees comes to AUD 9,007. That is our sum, before travel, English tests, criminal history checks, translations, insurance and any resits.

Questions people ask