INTERNATIONAL

Advanced Diploma of Oral Health (Dental Hygiene)

CRICOS Code: 094560A
National Code: 10286NAT

2021 2022

Description

Dental Hygienists play an important role in oral health by providing individualised treatment to the community, aimed at preventing oral diseases and helping to improve general health and wellbeing. Dental hygienists perform preventative, educational and therapeutic interventions to manage and treat dental decay and gum diseases. Dental hygienists also play a key role in the prevention of diseases through individualised oral hygiene instruction, dietary counselling and oral health promotion.

Duration (incl. holidays)

Semester(s)

Teaching Duration

Example Career Profile

Print Course Page

104 weeks

80 weeks

Dental Workers/ Dental Assistants Dental Workers/ Dental Assistants

In response to COVID-19, TAFE SA has had to make some changes to how courses are delivered. If any changes are made to the delivery or completion date of your course, TAFE SA will communicate with you directly.

International Applications

Campus / Location

Study Mode

Contact Hours

Study Load

Commences

Scheduled

Gilles Plains

On campus/location – learn in a classroom environment that gives you the opportunity to interact with your lecturer and fellow students in person.

20 hours per week

Full Time

January

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On Campus/Location

On campus/location – learn in a classroom environment that gives you the opportunity to interact with your lecturer and fellow students in person.

Full Time

Full Time classes

Day Classes

Day time classes

Evening Classes

Evening time classes

Course Admission Requirements
(for International Applications)

Satisfactory completion of Year 12 or overseas equivalent .
Academic IELTS score of 7.0 Overall with a minimum of 7.0 in all bands, the Occupational English Test – A's and/or B's in all areas of assessment, English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Advanced Credit grade or equivalent.
Successful completion of the TAFE SA Dental Hygiene Admission Test. To be successful in this test applicants would need a Certificate III in Dental Assisting or recent dental experience. The test is only conducted between Adelaide office hours of 9.00am-5.00pm Monday-Friday in August/September of each year for overseas based candidates (via Skype for Business) or November of each year for onshore candidates. Please contact the TAFE SA International Unit for dates. A $A300 test administration fee applies. See below course notes section for further details.

Work Placement Duration: 441 hours

Prior to work placement, international students will be required to apply for and successfully receive a National Police Clearance and the following South Australian Department of Human Services Screenings: working with children, disability, aged and vulnerable persons. Students will also need to show evidence for up to 7 Vaccinations or proven history of immunity and have a current First Aid Certificate. More details will be made available after commencement.

Course Notes

The Advanced Diploma of Oral Health ( Dental Hygiene) qualification satisfies the academic requirements to be eligible to apply for registration through AHPRA. Graduates seeking registration will also be required to meet all the other requirements for registration, such as English language skills (ie IELTS Test Results). For more specific information regarding these can be sourced at http://www.dentalboard.gov.au/News/2018-05-07-media-release-student-registration.aspx.
Students with an overseas qualification in Dentistry (5 year duration)/Dental Therapy (2 year duration)/Dental Hygiene plus additional Dental Radiography training, and 5 years of practise experience, should apply for the 2 year qualification. Once enrolled overseas trained students can apply for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL application fees apply) and be assessed accordingly. To apply for RPL applicants should provide details of their previously completed qualification which includes the detailed content of the subjects they have undertaken. Students who are granted RPL will be refunded for the units of competency they successfully attain, in line with the TAFE SA relevant policy. It should be noted that due to the delivery requirements of the qualification, following RPL being granted, the qualification may still take 2 years to complete. The qualification has a quota for overseas trained professionals.
All students are required to undertake the Dental Hygiene Admission Test at the cost of A$300. A Dental Assisting qualification and dental radiography knowledge will assist with meeting the knowledge required in the Dental Hygiene Admission Test. The test will cover the following aspects:
• Communication skills
• Dental conditions and terminology
• Head and neck anatomy
• Dental charting
• Knowledge about the Dental Board of Australia
• Basic biology
• General dental knowledge

Fees

These course fees are for international students only.

Duration

Tuition Fees

Incidental Fees^*

Semester 1

AUD $15475

AUD $4500^*

Semester 2

AUD $15475

Semester 3

AUD $15475

Semester 4

AUD $15475

Fee Totals

AUD $61900

AUD $4500^*

Total Course Cost

AUD $66400

* International students will be required to pay for their own screenings, checks, vaccinations, First Aid Certificate, TAFE SA Dental Hygiene Admission Test (A$300), Dental Hygiene Instrument Kits, textbooks, site uniforms and any required shoes at approximately $A4000-$A4500.

Note: TAFE SA course fees are currently under review. Current fees published are for 2020 and will be updated shortly. TAFE SA does not commit to any fees shown. Charges vary between courses and subjects and are based on a rate per hour. TAFE SA and their agents reserve the right to make any changes necessary.

Overseas Students Health Cover

All overseas students are required to have Overseas Students Health Cover (OSHC) insurance for the entire duration of the course. The health cover rate will vary depending on the personal circumstances and duration of stay in Australia. Read more about Overseas Students Health Cover.

Employment Outcomes & Skills Covered

Employment Outcomes

On successful completion of the course graduates will have completed the education and training in contemporary dental hygiene practice, enabling them to work in both private and government sectors in accordance with the legislative provisions.

Note: Completion of a TAFE SA course does not guarantee an employment outcome. Formal requirements other than educational qualifications (eg licensing, professional registration), may apply to some occupations.

Qualifications & Skills Covered

Advanced Diploma of Oral Health (Dental Hygiene) (10286NAT)
This course will help progress your career as a dental hygienist by teaching you advanced techniques in contemporary dental hygiene practice. To complete the qualification you are required to complete all 11 National units of competency and 25 enterprise units of competency.

88%*
of TAFE SA graduates find jobs or continue studying.

85%*
of TAFE SA graduates are satisfied with the overall quality of training.

* 2019 NCVER Student Outcomes Survey findings

Course Units

Core

Name	Nominal Hours	Subject Code	National Code
Administer pain control for dental treatment	15	HAAYA	OHDAPC601
Analyse and apply epidemiology in dental and health practice	15	HAAXP	OHDAAE603
Apply oral medicine and pathology principles to dental hygiene treatment	100	HAAYB	OHDAOM604
Apply pharmacology principles to dental hygiene management	100	HAAYC	OHDAPP605
Apply professional tooth whitening agents	25	HAAYD	OHDAPT606
Apply rubber dam and fissure sealants	15	HAAXR	OHDARD607
Comply with infection prevention and control policies and procedures	25	HAALD	HLTINF001
Confirm physical health status	90	HAAMP	HLTAAP002
Contribute to working with the community to identify health needs	60	HAAYT	HLTPOP006
Diagnose and manage dental caries and other hard tissue pathologies in the patient	15	HAAYR	OHDDMD623
Diagnose and manage periodontal conditions	40	HAAYE	OHDDMP609
Establish and manage client relationships	35	CABKX	CHCCOM006
Evaluate a population health project	40	HAAYX	HLTPOP022
Examine and assess a patient to devise a dental hygiene treatment plan	150	HAAXT	OHDEAP610
Identify and interpret findings on a dental radiograph	25	HAAYF	OHDIIF611
Implement a dental hygiene program for children and adolescents	25	HAAYG	OHDIDH612
Investigate and assess oral health status	80	HAAXS	OHDIAO608
Participate in workplace health and safety	20	AAFHR	HLTWHS001
Perform a nutritional oral health assessment	30	HAAYK	OHDPNO615
Perform prescribed orthodontic procedures	40	HAAYL	OHDPPO616
Place temporary restorations, polish restorations and remove overhanging margins	24	HAAYM	OHDPTR617
Plan a population health project	50	HAAYW	HLTPOP021
Plan and manage dental hygiene care for patients with special needs	20	HAAYN	OHDPDH618
Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety	25	CABDN	CHCDIV002
Provide clinical dental hygiene treatment	400	HAAYH	OHDPCD614
Provide dental hygiene care to elderly patients	20	HAAYP	OHDPDH619
Provide individual and community based dental health education and oral hygiene instructions	30	HAAXW	OHDPIC620
Research and apply evidence to practice	65	CABGD	CHCPOL003
Research and apply personality and development theories	50	CABNX	CHCCSL004
Scale teeth, debride root surfaces and stains from teeth	50	HAAXX	OHDSTD621
Take a clinical photograph	50	HAATK	HLTDEN014
Take an impression and construct study models for dental hygiene patients	18	HAAXY	OHDTIC622
Undertake and analyse diagnostic tests to determine oral health status	15	HAAXN	OHDUAD602
Use chemotherapeutic agents to manage and prevent dental disease	15	HAAYS	OHDUCA624
Work legally and ethically	55	CABDR	CHCLEG001
Work with diverse people	40	CABDM	CHCDIV001

Credit Transfer

Studying at TAFE SA is one of the easiest pathways towards a University Degree. Credit Transfer is the formal recognition that parts of a TAFE SA course are equivalent in content and level to parts of some University courses. Below are the Credit Transfer details for this course. View all TAFE SA Credit Transfer Agreements

University Course	Total Units in Uni Course	Credits Granted	Guaranteed Admission
Bachelor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship	72	12	Yes
Bachelor of Health and Medical Sciences	72	18
Bachelor of Oral Health	72	42
Bachelor of Public Health (Online program)	108	13.5

Living in Adelaide

The city created for students

You will never find another city like Adelaide. With welcoming locals, it is the perfect place for you to study, live and enjoy.

A student city

Adelaide is home to over 30,000 international students and has a strong and growing reputation as an education city. In addition to TAFE SA, Adelaide is home to six world-leading universities: The University of Adelaide, the University of South Australia, Flinders University, Carnegie Mellon University, Torrens University Australia and CQ University Australia.

Safe

Adelaide’s crime rates are the lowest in the country and for that reason, Adelaide has previously been named the safest city in Australia.

Beach Culture

Adelaide’s pristine sandy beaches are just a 20 minute tram ride from the city centre. On hot summer days, you can study in the day and take the tram to have dinner at the beach and watch the sunset with friends.

Live centrally

Accommodation is more affordable in Adelaide than in other cities in Australia making it often possible for students to live in the heart of the city or just outside. This means more time is spent studying and less time travelling.

Delicious!

Adelaide is known for its cafe culture, with more cafes and restaurants by population than any other city in Australia. In recent years, Adelaide has also developed a vibrant and varied bar scene. The city is big enough that you will struggle to visit all of the places you would like to drink and eat in during in your first year of study. Our mix of cultures means there’s likely to be a supermarket that sells food from your home country too.

Easy to get around

Adelaide is a flat city so it is ideal for walking or cycling. Its grid layout makes it almost impossible to get lost! There are free trams and buses around the city centre. International students can show their ID to get cheaper tickets.

Festivals

Adelaide is known for its festivals, which are famous around the world. WOMADelaide, the Adelaide Festival of Arts, Fringe Festival and Cabaret Festival are just some of the international arts and music festivals that keep the city buzzing

Everyone agrees – Adelaide is a great place to live and study

Adelaide is recognised as one of the world’s most liveable cities. In 2014, Lonely Planet’s Best of Travel book ranked Adelaide in the global top ten. For the last four years Adelaide has been ranked one of the most liveable cities in the world by The Economist Intelligence Unit.

Beautiful weather

Adelaide has four distinct seasons, with moderate winters and warm to hot summers. In winter you will need woolly jumpers and jackets and in summer, shorts and t-shirts. The heat in South Australia is dry, rather than humid.