Education level
Job area
Your role as an oral health therapist
As an oral health therapist, you’ll care for adults and children who use our public dental services.
This includes:
- diagnosing common problems like tooth decay, gum disease and infection
- cleaning and fluoride treatment
- fillings and removing baby teeth.
We have full time, part time and casual roles, and most work is in daytime hours.
How an oral health therapist is different from a dentist
Oral health therapists and dentists both keep mouths, teeth and gums clean and healthy. Both have a university degree, but a dentist has 2 more years of training in complex dental work like tooth implants.
What your day might look like
If you work in one of our hospitals or community clinics, you’ll start the day checking in with your team and preparing for appointments with patients.
You’ll use x-rays and dental tools to check teeth, mouth and gums, and do treatments, such as:
- removing plaque and tartar
- sealing or filling holes in teeth
- fluoride varnish for teeth.
A big part of your job is helping people learn how brushing teeth, flossing and a balanced diet improves mouth health and prevents disease. You might also help with talking to people at community oral health events.
Our oral health therapists also work in mobile clinics and school dental services across Queensland.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in oral health, oral health therapy or oral health science.
Professional registration and licences
You'll need to be registered with the Dental Board of Australia, and have a Queensland Radiation Use Licence to take certain types of 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 health practitioner grade 3, pay point 0.
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 ongoing professional development costs.
Rural and remote opportunities
We support rural and remote communities by giving oral health therapists the chance to do rotations across Queensland.
Professional growth
We help new graduates get the skills and experience for a long term career in public dentistry through our early career dental practitioner program.
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 an oral health therapist or doing more study can lead to other roles.
- Dentist
- Dental specialist
- Dental service manager