A new plan to allow more overseas trained dentists to work in Australia could result in not only greater numbers working in cities rather than rural areas where there are significant dentist shortages, but also a lowering of safety standards that could potentially put patients at risk.
Under a proposal by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) and National Boards, registration pathways for experienced internationally qualified practitioners including dentists, would allow recently qualified practitioners from a range of countries to bypass current Australian Dental Council (ADC) exam processes to practise in Australia.
However, the Australian Dental Association (ADA) has serious concerns that patient safety could be at risk under the proposal.
“The ADA strongly opposes changes which weaken existing assessment frameworks or dilute the robust protections currently in place,” ADA president Dr Chris Sanzaro said.
“We think the proposal risks lowering safeguards and undermines the rigorous standards that protect patient safety and public confidence in the dental profession.”
Under the plan, recent graduates from unnamed countries would bypass ADC exams through this fast-track system, the aim being that these graduates would address a perceived undersupply of dentists in Australia.
“However, the real issue here is not one of supply so much as a maldistribution of dentists,” Dr Sanzaro added.
“Data from the National Rural Health Alliance has found that while there are on average 66 dentists per 100,000 population in capital cities, it drops to 17 per 100,000 in small towns.
“This is coupled with significantly worse oral health for people in those regions, so this misguided proposal simply won’t deliver for regional Australia.”
He added: “To address the maldistribution, it would be far more effective to have targeted measures such as relocation and retention grants to facilitate dentists working in these poorly served areas.
“In addition, we want to see improved remuneration for public sector dentists, better funding for dental schools and for the National Oral Health Plan, which includes expanded rural healthcare funding, to be finally implemented.”
