When you visit a dental practice, you may see more than one clinician during your appointment. A hygienist cleans your teeth. A therapist places a filling on your child. A dentist examines and develops the treatment plan. It can be unclear who does what and why.
In Australia, dental care is delivered by a team of professionals, each with specific qualifications, registration requirements, and defined scopes of practice. Understanding who they are and what they do helps you know what to expect at your next appointment.
The dental team in Australia
All dental practitioners in Australia are registered with AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) and regulated by the Dental Board of Australia. There are several categories of dental practitioner, each with different training and scope.
Dentist
A dentist holds a Bachelor of Dental Science (BDSc), Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS), Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD), or equivalent qualification. Training takes five years at university and covers the full scope of dental diagnosis and treatment.
Dentists can:
- Diagnose dental and oral conditions
- Develop treatment plans
- Perform all dental procedures, including fillings, crowns, bridges, extractions, root canals, implant placement, and cosmetic treatments
- Prescribe medications
- Administer local anaesthetics
- Refer to dental specialists
- Supervise other members of the dental team
When you visit Ivy Dental for a comprehensive check-up, a dentist will perform or oversee your examination, review any imaging, diagnose conditions, and develop your treatment plan.
Dental specialist
Dental specialists are dentists who have completed additional postgraduate training (typically three or more years) in a specific area. In Australia, recognised dental specialties include:
- Orthodontics (tooth alignment and bite correction)
- Periodontics (gum disease and implants)
- Endodontics (root canal treatment)
- Prosthodontics (crowns, bridges, dentures, complex rehabilitation)
- Oral surgery (surgical extractions, jaw surgery)
- Paediatric dentistry (children's dentistry)
- Oral pathology and oral medicine
General dentists refer to specialists when a case falls outside their scope or would benefit from specialist-level expertise. At Ivy Dental, many procedures that might require a specialist elsewhere are handled in-house by our experienced team, but we refer when a specialist opinion or skill set is in the patient's interest.
Hygienists, therapists, and oral health therapists
Dental hygienist
A dental hygienist holds a Bachelor of Oral Health, a Bachelor of Dental Hygiene, or an Advanced Diploma of Dental Hygiene. Training focuses on preventive oral health care.
Hygienists can:
- Perform professional teeth cleaning (scale and polish)
- Apply topical fluoride and fissure sealants
- Take dental X-rays
- Provide oral hygiene instruction and dietary advice
- Apply desensitising agents
- Perform teeth whitening treatments
- Provide periodontal maintenance (ongoing cleaning for patients with treated gum disease)
Hygienists work within a structured professional relationship with a dentist. They do not diagnose conditions, develop treatment plans, or perform restorative work (fillings, crowns) on adult patients.
Dental therapist
A dental therapist is trained to diagnose and treat dental conditions in children and adolescents (typically patients under 18, though scope varies by jurisdiction and individual competency).
Dental therapists can:
- Examine and diagnose dental conditions in children
- Take and interpret dental X-rays
- Place fillings in children's teeth (both baby and adult teeth)
- Extract baby teeth
- Apply preventive treatments (fissure sealants, fluoride)
- Provide pulp therapy (nerve treatment) on baby teeth
- Provide oral health education
Dental therapists have played a central role in Australian children's dental care for decades, including through the School Dental Service. They are specifically trained in managing young patients and paediatric dental conditions.
Oral health therapist
An oral health therapist (OHT) holds a dual qualification that combines the scopes of both a dental hygienist and a dental therapist. This is the most common qualification pathway for new graduates in Australia, as most university programs now produce oral health therapists rather than separate hygienists or therapists.
An OHT can:
- Perform all hygienist duties (cleaning, preventive care, whitening) on patients of all ages
- Perform all dental therapist duties (diagnosis and treatment, including fillings and extractions) on children and adolescents
- Work under the structured professional relationship with a dentist
This dual scope makes OHTs versatile members of the dental team. In a practice like Ivy Dental, an OHT may clean your teeth as an adult and then treat your child's cavity in the next appointment.
How team-based care works at a dental practice
In a well-run dental practice, different team members handle different aspects of your care based on their training and scope. This is not about cutting corners. It is about matching the right clinician to the right task.
A typical visit might look like this:
- The dentist examines you, reviews imaging, and develops a treatment plan.
- The oral health therapist or hygienist performs your professional clean, provides oral hygiene advice, and applies any preventive treatments.
- The dentist performs restorative or surgical work that falls within their scope (fillings, crowns, extractions, root canals).
- For your child's appointment, the dental therapist or OHT may handle the examination, fillings, and preventive care, with the dentist available for consultation on complex cases.
This model is standard in Australian dental practice and is supported by the Dental Board of Australia's guidelines on scope of practice and structured professional relationships.
What this means for your child's appointment
Parents sometimes have questions about their child seeing a dental therapist rather than a dentist. It is worth understanding that dental therapists are specifically trained in children's dentistry. Their training focuses on paediatric dental conditions, child development, and behaviour management techniques.
For routine children's dental care, including check-ups, fillings, and extractions of baby teeth, a dental therapist or oral health therapist is well-qualified. The treating dentist oversees care and is involved in complex cases, treatment planning, and any procedures outside the therapist's scope.
For children eligible for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS), which provides up to $1,158 in benefits over two years for children aged 0 to 17, treatment provided by a dental therapist or oral health therapist is covered in the same way as treatment provided by a dentist.
Dental assistants and practice staff
Beyond the clinical team, you will interact with dental assistants and administrative staff.
Dental assistants support the clinician during procedures, prepare instruments, manage infection control, take X-rays (if qualified), and assist with patient comfort. They do not diagnose or treat dental conditions independently.
Practice managers and receptionists coordinate appointments, process health fund claims, and handle administrative tasks. They are often your first point of contact when you call or arrive at the practice.
How to know who you are seeing
If you are unsure who will be treating you at your appointment, ask. Any dental practice should be able to tell you the name and qualification of the clinician you will see. All registered dental practitioners in Australia can be verified on the AHPRA register at ahpra.gov.au.
At Ivy Dental, our team includes dentists and oral health therapists working collaboratively. Your care is coordinated so you see the clinician suited to each aspect of your treatment.
The team approach at Ivy Dental
At Ivy Dental in Everton Park and Nundah, team-based care is how we work. Your treatment plan is developed by a dentist. Specific services may be delivered by the team member whose training and scope are the closest match to what you need. This approach is efficient for you as a patient and ensures each clinician is working at the top of their skill set.
If you have questions about who will be treating you or what qualifications they hold, we are happy to discuss this at any time.
Book an appointment at Ivy Dental. Call (07) 3266 7120 or visit our contact page.
Indicative pricing. Your quote may differ based on clinical assessment.
