ADC General Overview of The ADC Exam

July 2012 v2 Page: 1 of 11
Contact information
Tel + 61 3 9657 1777 Fax + 61 3 9657 1766
Website: http://www.adc.org.au Email: info@adc.org.au
Address: Ground Floor, 120 Jolimont Road East Melbourne Vic 3002 Australia ABN 70 072 269 900

Information about the Australian Dental Councils assessment
and examination pathway for overseas qualified dentists

Who can practise as a dentist in Australia?
If you wish to practise as a dentist in Australia you must be registered with the Dental Board of
Australia, which is the regulatory authority for the dental profession in Australia.

How do you become registered with the Dental Board of Australia?
The Dental Board of Australia has published a number of Registration Standards that define the
requirements applicants need to meet to be registered. The Board has also published a list of approved
qualifications that are required for general registration (see http://www.ahpra.gov.au/Education/Approved-
Programs-of-Study.aspx). The Dental Board of Australias website has detailed information about the
requirements and process for registration as a dentist (see http://www.dentalboard.gov.au/).

Are your qualifications approved by the Dental Board of Australia?
If your qualifications in dentistry do not meet the Dental Board of Australias requirements for
registration to practise in Australia, there are two options available. The first is to complete an
Australian qualification that is approved by the Dental Board (see the Approved Programs of Study
listed on the Boards website). A second pathway is to undertake the Australian Dental Councils
assessment and examination pathway.

Overview of the ADCs assessment and examination pathway for overseas qualified dentists
There are four steps in the Australian Dental Councils (ADC) assessment and examination pathway for
dentists. They are:

When all four steps have been successfully completed a candidate is awarded the Australian Dental
Council Certificate (General Dentist) which enables him or her to apply for registration with the Dental
Board of Australia to practise in all states and territories of Australia.

How to Apply
Complete the Application for Initial Assessment of Professional Qualifications in Dentistry (see
http://www.adc.org.au/ADC%20Assessment%20Application.pdf)

Send your completed Application with accompanying documentation and fee to:
Australian Dental Council
Ground Floor, 120 Jolimont Road
East Melbourne Vic 3002
Australia

Initial
Assessment 1
English
Language
Test
2
Preliminary
(Written)
Examination
3
Final
(Clinical)
Examination
4

Contact information
Tel + 61 3 9657 1777 Fax + 61 3 9657 1766

Steps in the ADCs assessment and examination pathway for overseas qualified dentists

Step 1. Initial Assessment

The ADC assesses an overseas qualified dentists professional
qualifications in dentistry, work experience, registration history, good
standing and other matters and determines if you are eligible to proceed
with the examinations.

To apply for this initial assessment of eligibility to proceed with the
examinations you need to complete the Application for Initial
Assessment of Professional Qualifications in Dentistry

Find out more Step 1 -Initial Assessment further information

Step 2. English Language
Test

If you are assessed as eligible to proceed with the examinations, prior to
your acceptance into the ADC examinations you must pass an accepted
English language test.

The only tests accepted by the ADC are the following tests:
the IELTS academic module, with a minimum score of seven in each
of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking); or
the OET, with grades of A or B in each of the four sub-tests (listening,
reading, writing and speaking).
All components or sub-tests of either test must be passed at the specified
level in a single sitting. A pass in the IELTS or OET (at the specified level)
is valid for two years only.

Exemptions from the English language test requirement may apply if your
secondary and tertiary education has been in English, in one of seven
specified countries.

Find out more Step 2 - English Language Test further information

Step 3. Preliminary
(Written)
Examination
This is a written examination in multiple choice and short written answer
format. It is conducted twice a year, usually in March and September, in
locations across the world, including cities in all states and territories of
Australia.

Find out more Step 3 - Preliminary (Written) Examination further
information
Step 4. Final (Clinical)
Examination
Candidates who have successfully completed the Preliminary
Examination are eligible to undertake the Final Examination.

This is a clinical examination. It is conducted over a full week period. The
Final Examination is organised in two series each year, a series A and a
series B, at various venues only in Australia. There are multiple
examination sessions offered in each series, arranged at different times
throughout a number of months.

Find out more Step 4 - Final (Clinical) Examination further information

Contact information
Tel + 61 3 9657 1777 Fax + 61 3 9657 1766

Award of the ADC Certificate (General Dentist)
On successful completion of the English language test and both the Preliminary and Final Examinations,
you are eligible to receive the ADC Certificate (General Dentist).

The ADC Certificate (General Dentist):
entitles you to apply for registration with the Dental Board of Australia;
is accepted by the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship as evidence of
successful assessment by the ADC for overseas qualified dentists for visa purposes under
Australia's General Skilled Migration program.

Registration to practise
The Dental Board of Australia determines an applicants eligibility for registration. The Dental Board of
Australia has its own requirements and set of eligibility criteria (relating to: eg criminal history, English
languages skills, professional indemnity insurance etc), that need to be met before registration is
granted.

Find out more including the eligibility criteria, how to apply for registration, the fees payable on the
Dental Board of Australias website (see http://www.dentalboard.gov.au/)

Fees
A fee applies for each of the steps in the assessment and examination process.
The Fees Schedule (see http://www.adc.org.au/fees.pdf) provides current information on the ADCs fees
for the Initial Assessment of Eligibility, Preliminary Examination and Final Examination. Each fee for the
Preliminary and Final Examination allows only one attempt at the examination.

Fees must be paid by:
credit card (Visa or MasterCard only); or
bank cheque in Australian dollars made payable to The Australian Dental Council; or
Australian money order.

Withdrawal from any examination may result in a cancellation fee being charged.

There are also fees associated with the English language tests. Find out more
IELTS see http://www.ielts.org/
OET see http://www.occupationalenglishtest.org/

Contact information
Tel + 61 3 9657 1777 Fax + 61 3 9657 1766

Information about the Australian Dental Councils assessment and
examination pathway for overseas qualified dentists

Step 1. Initial Assessment further information
The first step in the assessment pathway is the assessment of the overseas qualified dentists
professional qualifications in dentistry.

The ADC assesses your professional qualifications in dentistry, work experience, registration history,
good standing and other matters to establish your eligibility to proceed with the examinations. This
assessment is based on the information you provide in the Application for Assessment of Professional
Qualifications in Dentistry (see http://www.adc.org.au/ADC%20Assessment%20Application.pdf). Overseas
qualified dentists may be eligible to undertake the ADC examination procedure if they hold a university
dental degree which was obtained after at least four years' full-time academic study at an
acknowledged university and they hold registration/licensure as a dentist in their country of training or
practice and there has been no withdrawal of registration or refusal to register.

The assessment of your application may take up to eight weeks from the date we receive the complete
application. A complete application includes all the required documentation which has been correctly
certified. Applications are processed in order of receipt.

You will be notified in writing if we need any additional information to process your application.

You will be notified in writing of the outcome of the Assessment and the next steps in the process.

Please note:
To prevent delays in assessment of your application please read the application form (including the
information sections) carefully and ensure you have provided all the relevant supporting
documentation and that the documents provided are correctly certified (refer to the Certification
Guidelines on the ADCs website)
Incomplete applications will result in assessment delays.

Contact information
Tel + 61 3 9657 1777 Fax + 61 3 9657 1766


Step 2. English Language Test further information
Good communication skills are an essential attribute for dental practitioners working in the Australian
community. English language proficiency is one aspect of good communication in the clinical practice
context. All overseas qualified dental practitioners who are applicants for the ADCs assessment and
examination pathway must demonstrate that they have a level of English language competency to
allow for good communication in the delivery of dental and oral health care.

The English language tests are designed to assess a candidates understanding and use of English in the
professional workplace. The result of the test helps determine whether a candidates general level of
English is sufficiently high to enable him or her to practise dentistry in Australia. Difficulties with this
test should alert the candidate to the possibility of difficulties with the later stages of the ADC
examinations.

If you are assessed as eligible to proceed with the examinations, prior to your acceptance into the ADC
examinations you must pass an accepted English language test.
Overseas qualified dentists are required to pass either of the following English language tests:
the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) academic module, with a minimum score
of seven in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking); or
the Occupational English Test (OET) with grades of A or B in each of the four sub-tests (listening,
reading, writing and speaking).

All components or sub-tests of either test must be passed at the specified level in a single sitting.

A pass in the IELTS or OET (at the specified level) is valid for two years only.
Candidates are required to hold a valid English language test pass at the closing date for applications for
each examination stage, ie at both the Preliminary Examination and at the Final Examination.
English language testing is administered and conducted independently of the ADC. Tests are held in
multiple locations within Australia and throughout the world, with several test periods each year.
Further information can be found at:
IELTS see http://www.ielts.org/
OET see http://www.occupationalenglishtest.org/

Exemptions from English language testing requirements
The ADC may grant an exemption from the English language test requirements to candidates who
provide satisfactory evidence that they were educated and assessed in English at both secondary level
and in their relevant professional dental qualification in one of the following seven countries:
Australia
Canada
New Zealand
Republic of Ireland
South Africa
United Kingdom
United States of America.

The ADC reserves the right at any time during the examination process to revoke an exemption and/or
require an applicant to undertake an English language test.

Contact information
Tel + 61 3 9657 1777 Fax + 61 3 9657 1766


Step 3. Preliminary (Written) Examination further information
The Preliminary Examination is a written examination. It is designed to test the candidates knowledge
of the science and practice of dentistry and of clinical and technical procedures relevant to dental
practice in Australia.
If your Application for Initial Assessment of Professional Qualifications in Dentistry is successful you will
receive confirmation of your eligibility to undertake the Australian Dental Councils examinations. A
Preliminary Examination Application form will be sent to you to complete and return to the ADC. If you
do not apply to commence the examination process within two years you will be required to re-apply
for initial assessment.

Content and format of the Preliminary Examination
The Preliminary Examination consists of two Multiple-Choice Question (MCQ) papers and a Short
Answer Question (SAQ) paper.
Previous examination papers are not available, but examples of multiple choice questions and short
answer questions are made available to candidates once they have enrolled in the examination.

Eligibility to undertake the Preliminary Examination
In order to be eligible to attempt the Preliminary Examination, at the closing date for the exam
candidates must have met the English language test requirements, either:
a satisfactory pass in an accepted English language test (valid for two years)
OR
have been granted an exemption by the ADC from completing the English language test component
of the assessment pathway.

English language test results must be valid at the time of the Preliminary Examination closing dates 01
June for the September examination and 01 December for the March examination.
A pass in the IELTS or OET at the specified level must have been obtained within two years prior to the
closing date for an examination.

Timetable for the Preliminary Examination
Examinations are conducted twice each year, usually during the first half of March and the first half of
September.

The Preliminary Examination is held over two consecutive days.

Venues of the Preliminary Examination
The Preliminary Examination is offered in multiple locations within Australia and overseas.
The exact locations and venues of the examinations, together with pre-examination information, are
provided to applicants once they have been assessed as eligible to enter the examination process.

Candidates residing overseas may take the ADC Preliminary Examination at an overseas venue.
Availability of venues varies and some venues may not be available for a particular session. All visa and
travel arrangements are the responsibility of the candidate. Candidates should ensure that they are
able to travel to the nominated venue. If you are in Australia, you can sit the examination in any of the
state capital cities and some larger provincial centres.

Contact information
Tel + 61 3 9657 1777 Fax + 61 3 9657 1766

How many attempts can be made at the Preliminary Examination?
There is no restriction on the number of attempts allowed for this examination, but a new fee must be
paid for each attempt.

Preliminary Examination processes and procedures
Notification of Results
Candidates will be advised in writing by the ADC of the results of their Preliminary Examination as soon
as practicable. This is usually within 10 to 12 weeks after the date of the examination.

Verification of Results
Candidates who fail the Preliminary Examination may apply to ADC for verification of their results
within 28 days of the date of the letter notifying them of their results. Candidates must complete the
relevant application form (obtainable by contacting the ADC) and pay the applicable fee.

The verification process is a manual check to ensure that the results and grade notified to a candidate
are correct and in accord with the decisions of the examiners.

Validity of a pass in the Preliminary Examination
A pass in the Preliminary Examination is valid for eligibility to undertake the Final Examination for a
period of three years only.

Contact information
Tel + 61 3 9657 1777 Fax + 61 3 9657 1766


Step 4. Final (Clinical) Examination further information
The Final Examination is a clinical assessment. It is designed to test the clinical competence of the
candidate in terms of dental knowledge, clinical skills and professional attitudes for the safe and
effective clinical practice of dentistry in the Australian community. Candidates will be examined at the
level of newly qualified graduates of Australian dental schools who are eligible for registration in
Australia.

Content and format of the Final Examination
The Final Examination includes the principal clinical disciplines grouped into three sections:
Clinical Dentistry 1 (CD1) Operative Dentistry including Endodontics
Fixed Prosthodontics
Paediatric Dentistry
Clinical Dentistry 2 (CD2) Periodontics
Removable Prosthodontics
Treatment planning
Clinical Dentistry 3 (CD3) Oral Surgery
Oral Diagnosis
Oral Radiology and Radiography
Infection Control
Aspects of other clinical disciplines such as Orthodontics, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Pharmacology
and Preventive Dentistry may also be included within the sections.

The range of topics covered in the ADC final examination is based on the clinical curricula of Australian
dental schools with an emphasis on common conditions in the Australian community. Each section may
comprise a number of assessment tasks, some written, some clinical, some oral/viva relating to the
various components. Tasks may include assessment of patients who have periodontal disease and/or
require preventive, conservative or prosthetic treatment; taking intra-oral radiographs on a patient or
manikin; and a procedure on an adult patient or surgical manikin involving anaesthetising and
extracting one or more teeth. The patients participating in the Final Examination are drawn from a
similar pool of patients to those used to assess final year students in Australian dental schools.

The ADC Examinations Committee oversees the examination and uses a Panel of Examiners with broad
expertise over the range of disciplines covered in the ADC and dental school examinations.

Eligibility to undertake the Final Examination
Eligible candidates must undertake the Final Examination within three years of passing the Preliminary
Examination. In order to be eligible to sit for the Final Examination, at the closing date for the exam a
candidate must have passed the Preliminary Examination (pass valid for three years) and have a
satisfactory pass in an accepted English language test (valid for two years) or have been granted an
exemption from completing the English language test component of the assessment and examination
pathway.

Timetable for the Final Examinations
The Final Examination is held over six successive days.
Final examinations are organised in two series each year (Series A and Series B) with multiple
examination sessions offered in each series over a period of approximately six months.

Contact information
Tel + 61 3 9657 1777 Fax + 61 3 9657 1766

Candidates may apply to sit the Final Examination within either the series A or series B. After the closing
date candidates will be allocated to a specific examination session and venue in accordance with the
following priority system:
the scheduling of first attempt candidates will take into consideration the time since they sat
and qualified at the Preliminary Examination (i.e. preference for shorter time)
candidates with fewer repeat attempts will have priority over candidates with a higher number
of repeat attempts
candidates with their first attempt will have priority over repeat candidates

An exception to the above priority system applies to candidates in the Public Sector Dental Workforce
Scheme, who are given priority ahead of all other candidates.
Candidates are notified of the examination session to which they have been allocated at least one
month before the examination session. There is no provision for candidates to nominate a particular
venue or date for their examination session.

Venues of Final Examinations
The Final Examination is conducted only in Australia. The venues in which the ADC Final Examination is
held are usually clinics within dental hospitals or university dental schools that are used for teaching
and clinical training by dental schools in Australia. Candidates who are resident outside Australia may
be able to obtain a temporary entry visa, at their own expense, to cover the trip to Australia to attend
the examination.

How many attempts can be made at the Final Examination?
There is no restriction on the number of attempts allowed for this examination. However, candidates
must satisfy all eligibility requirements and pay a new fee for each attempt.

Final Examination processes and procedures
The ADC has adopted several initiatives that aim to improve confidence in the fairness of the
examination, while ensuring that appropriate standards are maintained.

Notification of Results
To obtain a pass in the Final Examination, candidates must achieve a pass in each block of subjects at
the same examination attempt. Only on recommendation of the Panel of Clinical Examiners for the
Final Examination will supplementary examinations be considered.
Candidates will be advised formally, in writing, of their results in the examination. Results will be
mailed to candidates as soon as possible after the examination, usually within two weeks after the
finishing date of the examination. Results will not be given by telephone, email or fax. Candidates
should not contact the ADC about results within three weeks of the examination finishing date.

Verification of Results
Candidates who fail the Final Examination including a supplementary examination) may request the
ADC to undertake a manual review to verify the accuracy of the result notified to them for their
examination, ie a manual check to ensure that the results and grade notified to them are correct and in
accord with the decision of the examiners. Candidates must apply to the ADC within 28 days of the date
of the letter notifying them of their results. Candidates must complete the relevant application form
(obtainable by contacting the ADC) and make payment of the application fee.

Contact information
Tel + 61 3 9657 1777 Fax + 61 3 9657 1766

Appeal Procedures
Candidates who fail the Final Examination and who believe their performance in the examination has
been adversely affected may appeal against the procedures of a clinical examination only in the
following circumstances:
the procedural requirements and instructions, as specified in the current ADC Information
Handbook for Dentistry Candidates and in formal communications and instructions for specific
examination sessions provided to candidates by the ADC Secretariat, were not followed in a
significant manner or to a significant extent; or
the candidates performance was adversely affected by significant deficiencies in the
examination procedures beyond the control of the candidate.

The standard set by the ADC for the Clinical Examination, the grade awarded to a candidate, or
personal illness experienced during an examination are not matters that are part of the procedures of
a Final Examination and hence cannot be the basis of an appeal.
Candidates need to contact the ADC Office to be sent a copy of the appeals guidelines. Appeals must be
lodged within 28 days of notification of the results of the examination. A fee applies for appeals.

Supplementary Examinations
A candidate may be granted a Supplementary Examination outcome in one section of the Final
Examination (ie CD1, CD2 or CD3) where the performance in that section is not graded as a bad fail
standard and where a clear pass standard has been achieved in the other two sections If a
supplementary examination is granted for a Final Examination attempt, a separate fee is payable for
this examination.

Monitoring of Examinations
The ADC constantly reviews the conduct of its examinations and seeks ways in which to improve the
examination pathway and processes.

Immune Status
Candidates sitting the Final Examination are required to treat members of the public as examination
patients and to perform exposure prone procedures as part of their assessment.

Australian health authorities and dental hospitals are committed to and have a responsibility to ensure
that the health of patients and staff is safeguarded. The ADC shares in this responsibility when it uses
these hospitals and clinics for the Final Examination.

Prior to giving an ADC candidate access to clinical facilities for examination purposes, dental hospitals
may require a routine assessment of disease history and immune status. Documentation may be
required for immunisation, immune response to immunisation and disease history for tuberculosis,
rubella, measles, mumps, chickenpox, herpes simplex virus, and Hepatitis B virus.
In some states of Australia, healthcare workers are required to be immunised for Hepatitis B and have
demonstrated levels of immunity. Candidates may be required to provide health authorities with copies
of dated records of completed Hepatitis B immunisations and serological screening results for Hepatitis
B, Hepatitis C and HIV.

Where required, dated records and test results are to be provided to health authorities prior to sitting
the Final Examination. Candidates presenting for earlier parts of the examination process should be
mindful of this requirement for the Final Examination.

Any potential candidate for the Final Examination who is not able to perform exposure prone
procedures will not be able to undertake the examination. Candidates should ensure that they know

Contact information
Tel + 61 3 9657 1777 Fax + 61 3 9657 1766

their immune status and advise the ADC if they anticipate that they may not be able to meet the
requirements of hospitals and health authorities.

This information has been prepared by the Australian Dental Council for the information and guidance of overseas qualified dental
practitioners who wish to obtain recognition of their qualifications in Australia and become registered to practise within Australia. It is
intended as a guide only, and is not legally binding on any of the bodies or agencies listed. The information given is believed to be accurate at
the time of publication however requirements may vary from time to time.

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