Education level
Job area
Your role as a dental assistant
As a dental assistant, you’ll help us care for adults and children who use our public dental services.
This includes:
- setting up the dental surgery before appointments
- supporting dental professionals with procedures
- wiping down equipment and removing dental tools for cleaning
- supporting patients before, during and after appointments.
We have full time, part time and casual roles, and most work is in daytime hours.
What your day might look like
If you work in one of our hospitals or community clinics, you’ll start the day by checking in with your team and preparing for appointments. After checking supplies, you’ll set up any treatment rooms and greet patients when they arrive.
You’ll work under a dentist or oral health therapist and support them with dental checkups and cleans, x-rays and fluoride treatment.
You may also help with procedures like:
- sealing or filling holes in teeth
- removing teeth
- cleaning out infections.
A big part of your job is making sure patients are comfortable and keeping the dental surgery well stocked with supplies.
Our dental assistants also work in mobile clinics and school dental services across Queensland.
If you work with a dental specialist or dental prosthetist, you’ll support them in a specific area of dentistry. With a dental specialist, you might help people who need complex treatments like braces, or surgery for their teeth, gums, jaw, face or neck. If you support a dental prosthetist, you'll be helping to make false teeth and adjust dentures.
Read more about working as a dental assistant on the Your Career website.
Qualifications
You'll have one of the following qualifications.
- Certificate III in Dental Assisting
- Certificate IV in Dental Assisting
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can also do a school-based traineeship in dental assisting.
Professional licences
You need a Queensland Radiation Use Licence if you have the training to take x-rays. Read more about licencing in the dental industry.
Pay and benefits
Your pay rate and benefits will depend on your role and your pay point. In your first year you’ll start at clinical assistant grade 3, pay point 1. You’ll get a different rate if you’re a trainee or under 18, or have experience in dental assisting.
We also offer:
- regular wage increases
- a superannuation rate of 12.75%
- a supportive workplace with flexible working arrangements
- several types of leave
- salary packaging
- help with radiation licence and training costs.
Rural and remote opportunities
We support rural and remote communities by giving dentists the chance to do rotations across Queensland.
Professional growth
We encourage our dental assistants to keep learning so you can use your full range of dental assisting skills on the job.
You’ll also develop your professional skills through:
- orientation programs for new staff
- workplace learning and coaching
- self-directed learning
- professional development and upskilling opportunities.
Career paths
Getting experience as a dental assistant or doing more study can lead to other roles.
- Assistant in nursing in sterilising services
- Dental technician
- Dental prosthetist
- Oral health therapist
If you plan to do more study, ask your training provider if your past studies can count towards a higher qualification.