Bachelor of Dental Health Science

The Bachelor of Dental Health Science is offered full-time on-campus at the Gold Coast campus Griffith Health Centre. Classes may be scheduled during the day and evening throughout the week and on Saturdays.

Due to the need for students to develop complex clinical and technical skills throughout this program, extensive hands-on exposure to clinical/laboratory environments is required. As a result, some courses commencing from Year 1/Trimester 2 of this program will extend beyond the standard teaching trimester (i.e. commencing earlier and extending later than the standard trimester). Exact dates over which these extended courses will run will be published on a trimester-by-trimester basis in the Academic Calendar.

The School of Medicine and Dentistry delivers electronic assessment via ExamSoft's Examplify application. Students enrolled in this program are required to have access to a portable computer device (laptop or tablet) that can be taken on campus to complete examination and assessment activities. This device must meet the minimum system requirements for Examplify.

The School has a small number of loan devices that may be available to students who do not have access to a personal device. Students must apply for access to loan devices in the lead up to an examination or assessment. Please note the School cannot guarantee a loan device will be available for every applicant.

Managing study interruptions

Leave of absence

Students will require approval from the Dean, Dentistry or nominee to take a leave of absence.

Readmission

A student who has discontinued enrolment in a Dentistry program and who is not on an approved leave of absence is required to seek approval for readmission to the program from the Dean, Dentistry or nominee.

Readmission to a Dentistry program is not guaranteed and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the School of Medicine and Dentistry for further details.

Students who are returning to the program after an approved leave of absence or are being readmitted to the program or are required to repeat a non-clinical DOH-coded course will also be required to successfully complete Clinical Skills Competency requirements before continuing with their program.

Students who do not successfully complete these requirements will not be eligible to continue their program. Successful completion of these requirements will ensure students remain competent in their practical skills and are well prepared to continue with the program. Please refer to the Griffith University Inability to Complete Required Components of Professional Qualification Policy for further information.

Student Income Support

To be classed as a full-time student, you are required to enrol in a minimum number of credit points each standard study period. The minimum credit points for full-time enrolment in this program is 30 credit points.

Trimester 1 and Trimester 2 are deemed standard study periods. As Trimester 3 is a non-standard study period, continuing students moving from one year to the next will not be required to study during this trimester to be eligible for student income support.

Domestic students who commence in Trimester 3 may be eligible for student income support from the onset of study provided they are enrolled full-time in this study period.

Please refer to the Australian Government website for more details.

Work-integrated learning activities (professional placements) integrate theoretical learning with its application in the workplace. The inclusion of work-integrated learning activities in the degree program demonstrates Griffith's commitment to preparing its graduates for success in their working life.

In this program students will be engaged in clinical practice for 270 hours over 30 weeks at the Griffith University Dental Clinic. During all clinic sessions, students will be supervised by qualified by general dentists and specialists.

As a graduate of this degree and our Master of Dentistry, you will be qualified to work as a registered Dentist with opportunities in private practice, hospitals, school dental clinics and the armed services. Further study and research can lead to a career in academic teaching or specialty practice.

The Bachelor of Dental Health Science (when articulated with the Master of Dentistry) is accredited by the Australian Dental Council (ADC).

Completion of this degree and Griffith University's two-year Master of Dentistry enables you to apply for registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (and equivalent New Zealand authorities) as a Dentist subject to meeting any additional requirements that may be stipulated by the Dental Board of Australia. As these requirements may change from time to time, students should contact the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) to confirm registration requirements.

Applicants are advised that the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) requires Dentists to demonstrate English language skills that are suitable for registration. Further information is available on the AHPRA website.

There are placements associated with this program and before undertaking professional experience placements, all students in this program are required to have completed the following by the end of their first trimester of study:

• Vaccinations and Health Tests
• Licenses and Certificates
• Online Training
• Health Placement Requirements

Students should refer to the checklist of professional practice requirements for their Health discipline on the Health Placement Support Hub for full details of the requirements regarding professional placement to ensure that they meet eligibility for placement.

Provisional entry into the Griffith Master of Dentistry program

Completion of the Bachelor of Dental Health Science (1577) will see graduates gain seamless entry into the Master of Dentistry (5703).

Bachelor of Dental Health Science students need to be aware that should they be successful in gaining entry into the Master of Dentistry (5703) program, additional requirements must be met prior to commencement. Information about these requirements and other relevant information can be found on the Health Placement Support Hub website.

Note: Students are not permitted take a leave of absence of more than one year after completing the Bachelor program and commencing the Master of Dentistry program to ensure currency of knowledge and skills.