DENTAL PROSTHETICS AT TAFE QUEENSLAND

Definition of prosthesis

1550s, “addition of a letter or syllable to a word,” from Late Latin, from Greek prosthesis “addition,”: an artificial device to replace or augment a missing or impaired part of the body.

Definition of prosthetics

the surgical or dental specialty concerned with the design, construction, and fitting of prostheses

Origin

First known use of prosthetics circa 1894, in the meaning defined above

Dental Board of Australia

Prosthodontics is defined as: The branch of dentistry that deals with the restoration and maintenance of oral health, function and appearance by coronal alteration or reconstruction of the natural teeth, or the replacement of missing teeth and contiguous oral and maxillofacial tissues with substitutes.

Our Course And Graduate Capability

TAFE Queensland delivers undergraduate courses which balance and integrate current theory and practice to implement new technologies, tools, and skills. This applied approach values relational, communicative, cognitive and attitudinal skills and develops forward-thinking graduates who are agile and adaptable.

Our graduates are effective communicators engaged with new technologies, allowing them to solve complex and ambiguous real–world problems relevant to their industry. They work collaboratively as part of a team and have the maturity to apply ethical and social understanding in their practice. They can create, analyse and evaluate innovative solutions valued by and relevant to their industry.

In this Bachelor course, you will develop your skills in the assessment, treatment, management and provision of removable dentures, and flexible, removable mouthguards used for sporting activities.

You will acquire specialised knowledge to take impressions and records required to manufacture various types of splints; sleep apnoea/anti-snoring devices, immediate dentures and immediate additions to existing dentures. Our experienced educators and accredited Dental Prosthetists will ensure you can synthesise elements of your theoretical and practical understanding to solve challenging technical and clinical scenarios. You will learn in an inter-professional environment from experienced Dental Prosthetists and specialists in their field.

This course is designed for students seeking an applied clinical qualification working directly with patients where you will develop communication and collaboration skills in individual patient cases. This course is unsuitable for those students seeking to pursue a Dentistry or Dental Technology qualification.

Graduate Attributes

Your course is designed around the following graduate attributes, which reflect the amount of learning at the bachelor qualification level. TAFE Queensland graduates will be:

Critical and Reflective Thinkers

Ethical, Culturally and Socially Responsible

Active, Independent and Life-Long Learners

Creative and Innovative Thinkers

Knowledgeable and Skilled

Communicators, Collaborators and Leaders

Information and Digital Literate

Professional Accreditation And Competency Standards

The Dental Board of Australia (DBA), in association with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA), operate in accordance with the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and exist to regulate dental practitioners in Australia.

This regulation extends to registration and regulation services, procedures and processes, including maintaining public registers of health professionals, managing practitioner registration, renewal and audit of practitioners, oversight of effective delivery of accreditation functions alongside other outcomes as agreed between the DBA and AHPRA.

The Australian Dental Council (ADC) is an independent organisation appointed by the DBA to conduct assessment and accreditation functions for the dental professions under the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme. More information is available at adc.org.au.

Graduates of programs accredited by the ADC and approved by the DBA are eligible to apply for registration with the DBA. Please see the Dental Board of Australia’s website for further details regarding the registration process.

The ADC accredits the TAFE Queensland Bachelor of Dental Prosthetics (HED004).

The Australian Dental Prosthetics Association is the peak body representing the interests of Australian Dental Prosthetists and their patients.

Students who are not yet eligible for professional membership grading but are undertaking training and education for registration as a Dental Prosthetist may apply for student membership.

A newly qualified Dental Prosthetist reflects the following key professional competencies. Full and further information about the professional competencies is available from the Australian Dental Council.

Student Membership is free for the duration of your dental prosthetics course. Visit adpa.com.au for more information on membership.

Course Learning Outcomes

1 Integrate theoretical and technical dental prosthetics knowledge in removable prosthodontics, pathology, anatomy, histology, prosthetic practices, pathophysiology, pharmacology and radiology.

2 Exercise judgment to resolve a range of straightforward problems as well as some more complex problems in dental prosthetics

3 Critique issues and communicate outcomes to a range of audiences, both dental prosthetists and non-dental prosthetists.

4 Critically apply theoretical and technical knowledge in removable prosthodontics, pathology, anatomy, histology, prosthetic practices, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and radiology to solve a broad range of routine and some complex problems in dental prosthetics.

5 Evaluate and reflect on performance to identify and act upon opportunities for self-improvement.

Professional Competencies

The revised professional competencies of a newly qualified dental practitioner are available from the Australian Dental Council

Career Prospects

With the knowledge and skills you acquire, you will qualify to work as a Dental Prosthetist.

“Dental prosthetists work as independent practitioners in the assessment, treatment, management, and provision of removable dentures, and flexible removable mouthguards used for sporting activities” (ADPA).

As a Dental Prosthetist, you: are active members of the oral health workforce work in the public and private sectors often work as part of the wider dental team alongside general dentists and dental specialists.

WHAT WILL I BE DOING?

Dental Prosthetists perform these tasks: outlining work priorities for a business operational plan, including sustainability factors. Critiquing risk and applying risk management, compliance processes, and continuous improvement activities understanding the properties of dental materials used in dentistry practical skills of removable dental prosthetic provision, giving written and verbal explanations related to clinical skills, patient treatment and laboratory techniques over a broad range of procedures interpreting dental radiographs of diagnostic value recognising all intra-oral and extra-oral radiographic anatomy understanding chemical and physical properties, and techniques for manipulation of common dental materials identifying and applying the normal oral-facial anatomy and its implications as they relate to complete denture fabrication.

Scholarships

Achieve your career goals with the help of a TAFE Queensland Scholarship. There are two types of scholarships available: Merit and Access and equity. Scholarships are currently only available to domestic students. For more information on scholarships, please visit tafeqld.edu.au/study-with-us/what-it-costs/scholarships-information.html

Merit scholarships are awarded to students who can demonstrate outstanding academic merit or demonstrate strong work performance along with the demonstrable desire to secure ongoing employment within the industry to which they applied for the scholarship.

Access and equity scholarships provide equitable access to study at TAFE Queensland. They are awarded to students who can demonstrate a genuine interest in and commitment to their chosen career, and on the basis of specific equity criteria.

Karl Ring Award

Supported by the Australian Dental Prosthetists Association, this annual award is presented to the highest achieving graduand. The award comprises $250, an engraved glass trophy and a framed certificate.

Practical Clinical Placement

During your study, you will need to participate in supervised clinical practice. This practicum is embedded within your units of study, and you will complete this on campus in our dental facilities.

Developing well-rounded prosthetist expertise can take time. Your clinical practicum is an opportunity to combine what you learned in the classroom with real-world applications on real patients.

Our dedicated professional staff and laboratory support staff are available to assist you with your patients.

West Moreton Oral Health

In 2022, TAFE Queensland successfully trialled a professional, clinical placement pilot with West Moreton Oral Health. The pilot involved Year 3 students working clinically at West Moreton Oral Health one day per week in addition to students treating their own patients in the TAFE Queensland Denture Clinic. The West Moreton Oral Health Director, Dr. Kelly Mc Gowan, was highly impressed with our students’ clinical knowledge, skill and professionalism and she has extended the pilot for our Year 3 students to attend in 2022.

Pathways

There are several entry points into the Bachelor of Dental Prosthetics (HED004). Once you have completed the Bachelor of Dental Prosthetics (HED004), you may choose to enter the industry or apply for further study at a university at Honours or Masters level.

South Bank Campus

Our South Bank campus is located in the heart of Brisbane’s arts and cultural precinct, adjacent to art galleries, performing arts venues, a museum, and the State Library.

The campus has easy access to the city, the beautiful South Bank Parklands, as well as plenty of cafes and restaurants for you to refuel between classes.

In our on-campus library, you can access physical and digital resources, utilise group and individual study spaces, and get help from our qualified librarians with referencing, research, and using the library catalogue. To learn more about our campus, please visit tafeqld.edu.au/courses/study-locations/greater-brisbane/south-bank.html

Orientation

While the Bachelor of Dental Prosthetics (HED004) has one student intake per year, students are also re-oriented in the middle of the year to keep you informed of relevant changes and updates.

Orientation at TAFE Queensland includes completing an online, introductory unit called Student Online Orientation (SOO), as well as attending one of our Orientation events before the semester commences. The Bachelor of Dental Prosthetics (HED004) has a specific orientation session during the TAFE Queensland Orientation week.

Attending an Orientation event is compulsory for international students. Domestic students have the choice to attend or only complete Orientation online. We recommend that all students do both.

If you’re a new student, we encourage you to join us at an Orientation event where you will: find out about the facilities and support staff available to assist you throughout your studies meet and network with other new students meet your student representative be greeted by your dental educators tour the dental facilities.

Feedback from past students has told us that attending an Orientation event is the best thing you can do to prepare for study.

Orientation details and sessions are communicated by email and via our website News and Events

Australian Qualification

The Bachelor of Dental Prosthetics (HED004) is an Australian Quality Framework (AQF) recognised course at AQF Level 7.

Graduates at AQF Level 7 will have broad knowledge and skills for professional highly-skilled work and further learning. Graduates will have comprehensive theoretical and technical knowledge of a specific area or a broad field of work.

Education Accreditation

TAFE Queensland is a registered Institute of Higher Education (PRV13003).

All providers of higher education courses in Australia are required to be registered on the Tertiary Education Qualification and Standards Agency National Register of Higher Education Providers (TEQSA)

The Bachelor of Dental Prosthetics (HED004) is owned by TAFE Queensland and is accredited by TEQSA.

Higher Education Delivery For International Students

Higher education providers can only deliver courses to international students if they are registered on the Australian Government’s Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS)

TEQSA is responsible for assessing applications for inclusion on CRICOS, and ensures higher education courses delivered to international students are of high quality.

TAFE Queensland is registered with CRICOS for this qualification.