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Split Apple Rock Tasman Miles Holdem

Oral Health Therapy

Seize the opportunity of a lifetime as an Oral Health Therapist! Provide a range of dental services focused on preventive and restorative oral care.

Whether it's working with children or adults, you'll be making an important difference in our communities.

Photo location: Split Apple Rock, Tasman - Credit: Miles Holden

Register with Health New Zealand

About the role

Oral Health Therapists have the knowledge, skills and experience to educate and care for patients’ teeth and gums. They work in partnership with local communities to improve services and health outcomes.

We want our team of teams to reflect the diversity of the communities we're working to improve care for, including those that historically have been underserved by the health system.

New Zealand offers a broad range of opportunities in a range of environments from fast-paced metropolitan centres to community-focused healthcare in urban, rural and remote settings. 

Two Oral Health Therapists sitting on either side of a primary school aged patient for her dental treatment.

Salary, allowances & leave

Salary:

  • Oral Health Therapists have a 10-step progression salary scale 

    • Salaries range between NZ $59K - NZ $116K

  • Set rates for overtime, penal time, and callbacks

Allowances:

  • Set allowances for on-call, higher duties, shift coordination, duly authorised officers, authorised officers, telephone on-call and meals (where required)

Leave:

  • 4 weeks of paid annual leave (increases to 5 weeks after 5 years of service)

    • shift employees are entitled to up to an additional 5 days’ annual leave on completion of 12 months of employment on shift work

  • A minimum of 10 days of paid sick leave per annum

  • 6-12 months of parental leave, depending on the length of service

    • up to 14 weeks of paid parental leave

  • 12 paid public holidays + time in lieu/alternative holiday if rostered on

  • Long service leave

 

Oral Health Therapists' Collective Agreement:

In New Zealand, the salary and other benefits of some roles are determined by collective agreements between unions and employers. The full Oral Health Therapists collective agreement can be found on the Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora website here.

Required qualifications and experience

To work in Aotearoa New Zealand, you will require an appropriate registration and hold an Annual Practising Certificate:

  • You must be legally entitled to work in New Zealand and be eligible for general or provisional general registration with the Dental Council of New Zealand
  • Dental Council NZ Approved Training Programmes in New Zealand:
    • University of Otago Bachelor of Oral Health and a Dental Council New Zealand accredited Adult restorative programme
    • Auckland University of Technology Bachelor of Health Science in Oral Health and a Dental Council New Zealand accredited Adult restorative programme
    • Graduate Certificate in Dental Therapy (Advanced Clinical Practice), University of Melbourne
Other helpful links  
Begin your career
  • Bachelor of Oral Health from Otago University
  • Bachelor of Health Science in Oral Health from Auckland University of Technology. 

Internationally qualified candidates

  • Crown and Bridge/Prosthodontic Hygienist
  • Orthodontic Hygienist
  • Periodontal Hygienist
  • Community Dental Therapist
  • School Dental Therapist
  • School Dental Nurse


International accredited training programmes


Australia:

  • Dental Board of Australia-approved programmes that allow graduates registration in the Oral Health Therapist Scope of Practice in Australia. For those Australian programmes where the adult restorative treatment is not accredited as part of the undergraduate programme, a Dental Council New Zealand accredited programme is required to remove the Adult restorative treatment exclusion.
  • New Zealand Oral Health Therapist Registration Examination and a Dental Council New Zealand accredited Adult restorative programme.

Dental Council accredited Adult restorative programme

  • Graduate Certificate in Dental Therapy (Advanced Clinical Practice), University of Melbourne

Roles and responsibilities

  • Understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi (The Treaty of Waitangi) and implementing the principles  

  • Engaging with local communities for better health outcomes

  • The practice of Oral Health Therapy is the provision of Oral Health assessment, diagnosis, management, treatment and preventive care for patients in accordance with this scope of practice and an Oral Health Therapist’s approved education, training, experience and competence

  • Oral health education, disease prevention and oral health promotion for individuals and communities are core activities, aimed at achieving and maintaining oral health as an integral part of general health

  • Extra-oral and intra-oral examination of the soft and hard tissues of the orofacial region, including intra-and-extra-oral radiographic imaging of adequate diagnostic quality and photographic imaging

  • Formulate an accurate diagnosis for dental caries and periodontal diseases or seek additional clinical opinion or refer as required

  • Oral Health education

  • Preventative care

  • Periodontal management

  • Direct restorations that are appropriate for the nature and extent of tooth tissue loss and in the best interests of the patient including placing stainless steel crowns on primary teeth

  • Oral disease management including dental caries, non-carious tooth tissue loss, tooth abnormalities and aesthetic problems

  • Dental extractions of deciduous teeth

  • Pulpotomy on primary teeth

  • Local anaesthesia appropriately to treatment

  • Orthodontics - Assist the dentist or dental specialist in implementing orthodontic treatment plans. 

Our application process

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Step 1: Submit

Complete the registration form as your expression of interest in an Oral Health Therapist role

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Step 2: Review

Our Candidate Management Team will review your application and check your suitability

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Step 3: Contact

You will be contacted by our Candidate Management Team to discuss career and location options

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Step 4: Referral

You will be contacted by our District recruitment teams

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Step 5: Progress

Your chosen Recruitment Team(s) will be in touch with you to continue the recruitment process

Working at Health New Zealand

'Te Whatu Ora' translates from our indigenous Māori language to 'the weaving of wellness'; which is what we are all about in our holistic delivery of world-class care for the health and wellbeing of the 5 million Kiwis in our communities.

Health New Zealand has an open and non-hierarchical approach to improving outcomes for our patients. Our cross-disciplinary collaborative way of working fosters a positive work environment where all members of our team feel supported and empowered.

Our commitment to you

We are dedicated to building a team that is representative of the communities that we are serving. We are committed to supporting health equity in our communities. Our kaimahi (staff) thrives on the diversity and inclusion of all perspectives and cultures, and we welcome individuals from all backgrounds and lived experiences.

Health New Zealand has programmes and facilities available to both protect and improve our teams’ physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing. We know that you do your best work when you’re feeling your best, so it’s important to us that this is a priority.

Oral Health Therapist professional (stock image)
Oral Health Therapist educating patient (stock image) A community oral health therapist at school standing next to a smiling next to a primary school aged patient on the dentist's chair

Looking to move to New Zealand to work as an Oral Health Therapist?

Great news! Oral Health Therapists are on Tier 1 of New Zealand's Green List which means you are eligible for a fast-tracked Straight to Residence Visa. This means you and your family can apply for New Zealand residency before you arrive, provided you have a job offer from an accredited employer, like us! 

Register with us

 

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Photo location: Christchurch - Credit: Miles Holden

 

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