How to Become a Dental Assistant: Australian Careers in Health

Studying this online HLT35021 Certificate III in Dental Assisting, offered in conjunction with Integrated Care & Management Training Pty Ltd (RTO: 90197), provides you with the education and training to develop your skills as a professional dental assistant.

In this certificate course, you will develop skills in all aspects of dental assistance, including infection control and OH&S procedures, operation and maintenance of dental instruments, processing and storing of radiographic film and equipment, and cleaning and sterilising of instruments and treatment rooms.

You will also gain knowledge and understanding of first aid requirements and the disposal of surgery waste. In addition, this online dental assisting program will give you the administrative and communication skills required of a modern dental assistant, and a solid understanding of diverse patient care requirements.

Administrative training in how to manage appointments, process payments and maintain accurate client records will complement the more technical aspects of the course.

Work Placement

There is also a practical component to this course with 350 hours of work placement in a dental surgery of your choice.

PLEASE NOTE – Open Colleges is a privately-run RTO, not government-run like a TAFE, so they cannot offer government funding. Please check eligibility requirements before beginning an enrolment with Open Colleges.

The Certificate III in Dental Assisting prepares you to assist with oral health care procedures, assist in dental radiography and comply with infection control policies and procedures. This nationally recognised dental assisting qualification allows you to build on your existing communication skills and equips you with the skills required to assist with administration processes in dental practices.

Once you’ve obtained Certificate III in Dental Assisting, you will be qualified to work as a Dental Assistant for a variety of dental professionals, including a Dentist, Dental Hygienist or Dental Therapist. As a Dental Assistant, your key focus is to ensure patients are comfortable and experience a high level of care, whether that’s at the front of house or whilst undergoing treatment.

This course includes both theory and practical components with all theory delivered online, meaning you set the pace of your studies to fit into your schedule.

Work Placement

This course also requires a minimum of 350 hours of work placement in a dental clinic and a suitable supervisor able to sign off on the practical demonstration elements.

Please note: This is a fee-for-service program, it is not government funded.

HLT45021 Certificate IV in Dental Assisting course is a fantastic way to up-skill and create new opportunities for people who have completed their Certificate III in Dental Assisting. This practical course is designed to ensure that you gain advanced skills in areas such as equipment sterilisation, managing reusable medical equipment and clinical photography. You will also gain an in-depth understanding of required medical terminology as well as practical skills such as first aid.

When completed, the course will give you access to a variety of dental care industry positions, such as Dental Assistant, Dental Therapy Assistant and Dental Sterilisation Nurse.

Practical component

There are no mandatory workplace hours to complete this qualification. However, Students must have access to a dental practice, equipment for sterilisation, imaging equipment and a qualified supervisor i.e. a person who holds Certificate IV in Dental Assisting or a higher relevant qualification to complete their course.

To successfully complete the units’ assessment requirements, students must have access to a suitably equipped dental clinic. This includes specific equipment necessary for hands-on practice and assessment. If you are unsure whether your clinic meets the necessary requirements, please contact Foundation Education for further details and a comprehensive list of required equipment.

Please note: This is a fee-for-service program, it is not government funded.

Gain specialised skills that will give you a professional advantage as a dental assistant with the online HLT35021 Certificate III in Dental Assisting and HLT45021 Certificate IV in Dental Assisting (Dental Radiography) course from Foundation Education.

You will learn how to provide a high level of patient service, maintain impeccable standards of infection control and assist a dental professional with oral health care procedures. You will also learn how to produce dental radiographic images, a key specialisation in the dental services sector.

The coursework is delivered online by Foundation Education, allowing you to move through the units at your own pace and schedule your study time around your personal and work commitments.

As a practical component of this course you will need to complete 350 hours of work placement, with the first 50 hours completed in simulation.

Please note: This is a fee-for-service program, it is not government funded.

The HLT45021 Certificate IV in Dental Assisting (Dental Radiography), will provide you with the essential skills and knowledge you need to become a Dental Radiographer and assist Dentists undertaking dental procedures. You will learn specialist radiation biology and protection skills to take clinical photographs and prepare and produce a prescribed dental radiographic image, as well as being able to interpret and apply medical terminology. You will graduate with job ready skills that will allow you to work in a range of sectors, including dental, oral surgery, orthodontics and community health clinics.

Dental Assistants are imperative to all aspects of a dental practice, as they ensure that high standards of quality patient care are met. If you’re looking for flexible working hours, Dental Assisting is a great option, as many practices offer casual and part-time work.

Work Placement

There are no mandatory workplace hours to complete this qualification. However, students must have access to a dental practice, equipment for sterilisation, imaging equipment and a qualified supervisor i.e. a person who holds Certificate IV in Dental Assisting or a higher relevant qualification to complete their course.

Please note: This is a fee-for-service program, it is not government funded.

Become a fully qualified professional Dental Assistant, or upskill to move onto the next stage of your dental practice career, with the nationally recognised HLT35021 Certificate III in Dental Assisting and HLT45021 Certificate IV in Dental Assisting from Foundation Education.

This course is designed to give you all the skills you need to succeed in any assistant role within dental practices, and will teach you crucial skills such as how to assist with administration of a dental practice, how to prepare for and assist with dental procedures, how to assist with dental radiography, how to process reusable medical devices and equipment and how to comply with infection prevention and control policies and procedures.

On completion of the course, you will be fully qualified to work across multiple dental assisting roles in any dental practice in Australia.

Please note: This is a fee-for-service program, it is not government funded.