Dentist
As a part-time Army Dentist, you’ll be responsible for providing dental services to maintain the oral health of ADF members. You’ll work in dynamic environments, using your skills to make a real difference.
If you’re looking to experience adventure and excitement outside the everyday, earn tax-free pay and work as part of a close-knit team, it's an exciting opportunity that can work around your lifestyle.
What you'll do
You’ll be responsible for clinical assessment, providing treatment to members and oral health advice in relation to fitness for duty to commanders. You’ll be trained in military skills and work in small teams or leading a dental practice where you’ll operate and maintain portable dental treatment facilities within Australia and overseas.
You may also be responsible for the training and welfare of the soldiers under your command. Depending on your unit, you may be required to perform your duties in a clinical environment in the field, barracks or in operational conditions. This is a great opportunity to challenge yourself and work in exciting new environments, without compromising your current career goals. You’ll feel proud knowing your work makes a difference.
Your duties may include:
- providing expert clinical treatment in a variety of environments
- leading the coordination, assembly, deployment and function of a dental team within a tri-service operational health facility
- management of dental facilities or health units
- collaborating in a multi-faceted healthcare team
- assuring the safety and quality of healthcare provided
- mentoring and training of junior dentists
- carry out financial responsibilities
- executive health officer roles
- applying first aid or advanced life support
- assisting with patient triage.
Opportunities for progression and upskilling continue throughout your career as an officer. As you progress, the Army will provide you with leadership, management, and specialist skills training to develop your ability to effectively manage your teams. You’ll also be provided with training opportunities to further develop your role-related expertise. This world-class training will strengthen your skillset and enable you to become an influential leader in the Army.
As an officer in the Army, you may also undertake a posting to an Any Officer role during your career, such as instructor/training roles and staff officer roles. This experience helps you broaden your skill set and prepare for more senior roles.
The Army Reserve has units located all across Australia and offers you the flexibility to serve where you live. There are training locations in cities, small towns and regional areas. Even if there isn’t a unit close to you there may be other ways to serve. You’ll have a Careers Coach who you can ask about your options.
Most Army Dentists are posted to dental units associated with Health Battalions in Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin and Townsville. Depending on your rank, other locations are possible if you decide to accept a non-dental role.
You can focus on becoming the very best Dentist you can be. You don’t have to worry about the business side.
Requirements and training
You must be an Australian citizen to serve in the ADF. However, Australian permanent residents may be eligible. For more details, visit the "Citizenship" tab on the Eligibility Requirements page.
You can apply for a role in the ADF from 16.5 years of age and must be at least 17 to join. For Reserve service, the maximum age to apply is 60 years, with a Compulsory Retirement Age (CRA) of 65. Candidates who wish to enlist into the Reserves beyond the age of 61 years will need further assessment to ensure they can complete all pre-requisite training in their chosen field prior to reaching CRA.
You don’t need a driver’s licence for this role but if you have one, it can’t be suspended or cancelled.
All ADF members require a security clearance. As an ADF member, you’ll need to obtain the appropriate level of security clearance for your role. You’ll need a collection of relevant information including background checks and/or interviews so the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) can make an informed assessment to ensure the protection of Government resources and information. Your Careers Coach will explain what level of clearance is required for the career you are considering.
For more information or to learn about how security clearance will apply to you, view the eligibility requirements page.
You need to be fully qualified and registered through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) to practice as a Dentist or Dental Surgeon in a state or territory of Australia.
You can also apply if you’re in your final year of study and eligible to register with AHPRA to practice as a Dentist or Dental Surgeon.
To join the ADF, you must be healthy and physically fit. This is partially assessed from the completion of an extensive questionnaire covering your medical history, followed by a physical examination.
You’ll also be required to successfully pass a physical fitness assessment.
Male
- Push-ups: 8
- Sit-ups: 20
- Beep Test: 6.1.
Female
- Push-ups: 4
- Sit-ups: 20
- Beep Test: 6.1.
For further details on medical and physical fitness standards, refer to physical fitness standards for entry into the ADF and medical process for entry into the ADF.
There is no minimum number of years required in the ADF Reserve as service is voluntary. You can volunteer until the Defence Reserve retirement age of 65, subject to the requirements and your suitability for further service.
Reserve service is flexible and can fit around your family, life and work responsibilities. In your first year, you can choose to serve between a minimum of 20 and up to 150 days, which includes Initial Employment and Military Training. After that, you can choose to serve 20 to 150 days each year, with the potential to extend to 200 days. On training completion, you can serve from as little as one night a week, one weekend a month, or in consecutive weeks - in a way that suits your lifestyle.
Course: Specialist Service Officer First Appointment Course (SSO FAC)
Duration: 25 days
Location: Royal Military College – Duntroon, Canberra, ACT
You’ll learn fundamental knowledge of:
- leadership and military justice
- weapons handling
- command and control
- unit and personnel administration
- basic military skills
- the ideals of officer behaviour
- attitudes necessary for future employment.
This course is delivered in 2 parts for both full-time and part-time (Reserve) Officers.
- Part 1 – 10 days
- Part 2 – 15 days.
Course: Logistic Officers Basic Course (LOBC) – Health
Duration: 14 days
Location: Army Logistic Training Centre (ALTC), Bonegilla, Vic
You’ll undertake this course in the first 12 months of your appointment, where you’ll learn the fundamental skills required to operate in a deployed environment. The course includes theory, practical and simulated activities.
The LOBC aims to provide Logistic and Health Officers with corps and integrated skills and knowledge to fulfil a range of command and health specialised appointments at the rank of Lieutenant in a foundation warfighting environment.
Course: Dental Officer Initial Course (DOIC)
Duration: 2 weeks
Location: ADF Dental School, HMAS Cerberus, Vic
The DOIC inducts newly appointed ADF Dental Officers. This course is designed to build on existing dental knowledge but also provide a number of additional skills required by a Dental Officer in the ADF. In this course you’ll learn:
- advanced life support
- manage relative analgesia
- maxillofacial trauma and eyelet wiring
- tri and single service briefs
- Junior Dental Officer administrative and documentation requirements
- infection control and bench top sterilising.
Dental specific courses may also be undertaken. Depending on your level of experience, you may be required to attend a Relative Anaesthesia, Forensic Course, and an Advanced Life Support Course.