Oral Health student in prac setting
B-ORALHT

Oral Health Therapy

Bachelor degree

Promote oral health in the community and provide a range of clinical dental services.

This offering version is phasing out and no longer taking applications. You may be able to apply for a later version.

Course outline
  • ATAR

    ATAR

    Minimum ATAR 80
  • Qualification
    Bachelor of Science (Oral Health Therapy)
  • Duration

    Duration

    3 years full-time
  • Credit

    Credit

    600
  • CRICOS

    CRICOS

    074565F
Course outline
Oral Health Therapy

Overview

Overview

Promote oral health in the community and provide a range of clinical services, including dental examinations, preventative treatments, scaling and cleaning, the management of gum disease, fillings, simple extractions for children, dental radiography, taking dental impressions and a range of orthodontic duties.

This course starts with a study of preventive dentistry and oral health therapy techniques, together with relevant health, research and communication units that form part of your interprofessional first year.

In your second and third years your studies will combine theory, practical sessions and clinical practice.

You will undertake more than 750 hours of clinical training during the course in a variety of settings such as the Oral Health Centre of Western Australia, community clinics, private dental practices and the Dental Health Services' clinic.

When you graduate you will have the practical industry skills and experience you need to start your career in oral health therapy with confidence.

Please refer to the handbook for additional course overview information.

What jobs can the Oral Health Therapy course lead to?

Careers

  • Oral health therapist

Industries

  • General and specialist private dental practices
  • Government school dental clinics

What you'll learn

  • provide appropriate patient care and dental health education by applying sound clinical principles and behaviour management techniques conducive to good oral health
  • use problem-solving, critical thinking and decision-making skills in the management of oral disease in individuals and the community
  • identify oral disease, gather and interpret data and synthesise information to develop appropriate preventive and treatment approaches as part of the overall needs of individuals
  • communicate effectively with other health professionals, patients and various target groups
  • use new and existing technologies relevant to dental practice in a responsible and effective manner
  • utilise lifelong learning skills to help foster ongoing personal and professional development
  • promote the oral health and general health of individuals and the community by working collaboratively, sharing knowledge and considering different perspectives
  • demonstrate cultural awareness and understanding in the provision of patient care
  • practice in a professional and ethical manner as part of the dental team and critically reflect on care provided.

Professional recognition and accreditation

Graduates are eligible to apply for registration as an oral health therapist with the Dental Board of Australia.

Admission criteria

What you need in order to get into this course. There are different pathway options depending on your level of work and education experience.

Select an option that best suits you:

You’re considered a high school leaver if you:

  • Completed year 12 in Australia or overseas in the past two years, or
  • Completed TAFE or VET studies in the past two years.

ATAR pathway

  • Minimum ATAR 80

    This course has a minimum ATAR of 80

  • Essential WACE subjects (prerequisites)

    Essential WACE subjects (prerequisites)

    There are no essential WACE subjects for this course.

  • Desirable WACE subjects

    Desirable WACE subjects

    Human Biology ATAR or Biology ATAR

Please see our correlation comparability for previous TEE subjects, WACE courses and WACE ATAR courses.

StepUp Entry

StepUp Entry

Successful StepUp Entry and StepUp Equity Adjustment Admission Pathway (StepUp Bonus) applicants will be eligible to be considered for admission into this course.

Alternative pathways

  • Indigenous applicant

    If you’re an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander applicant who hasn’t met Curtin’s minimum admissions criteria, the Centre for Aboriginal Studies offers bridging courses that are tailored to help you gain entry into this course.

  • STAT entry

    Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT)

    Written English and either MC Verbal or Quantitative

English requirements

Curtin requires all applicants to demonstrate proficiency in English. Specific English requirements for this course are outlined in the IELTS table below.

You may demonstrate English proficiency using the following tests and qualifications.

IELTS Academic (International English Language Testing System)

Writing

7

Speaking

7

Reading

7

Listening

7

Overall band score

7

Find your pathway to Curtin

Think you don’t have the marks or qualifications to study at Curtin? We have several pathways to help you meet admission. Use our pathway finder to find your best way to studying with us.

Pathway finder tool

How others gained admission

View the ATAR breakdown to see the low, median and high ATAR scores of students who started studying this course recently.

To see the other pathways students have taken, see the pathway breakdown.

Application Requirements

If you’re looking to apply for our Bachelor of Science (Oral Health Therapy), please refer to our admission requirements before completing your application.

You’re considered someone with work and life experience if:

You have left secondary education more than two years ago (i.e. who are not classified as recent secondary education applicants) and have not undertaken vocational education training (VET) or higher education study since then.

How we define ‘experience’
‘Experience’ includes a combination of factors sufficient to demonstrate readiness for higher education such as mature-age entry, professional experience whether completion of the Skills for Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) is required or not, community involvement or work experience. Applicants may have undertaken non-formal programs that have helped prepare them for tertiary education or are relevant to the proposed higher education field of study.

Pathways

  • STAT entry

    Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT)

    Written English and either MC Verbal or Quantitative

English requirements

Curtin requires all applicants to demonstrate proficiency in English. Specific English requirements for this course are outlined in the IELTS table below.

You may demonstrate English proficiency using the following tests and qualifications.

IELTS Academic (International English Language Testing System)

Writing

7

Speaking

7

Reading

7

Listening

7

Overall band score

7

Find your pathway to Curtin

Think you don’t have the marks or qualifications to study at Curtin? We have several pathways to help you meet admission. Use our pathway finder to find your best way to studying with us.

Pathway finder tool

Application Requirements

If you’re looking to apply for our Bachelor of Science (Oral Health Therapy), please refer to our admission requirements before completing your application.

You’re considered someone who studied at TAFE or have done an apprenticeship if:

Applicants with vocational education and training (VET) study are those whose highest level of study since leaving secondary education is a VET course. This includes study at a public TAFE or other VET provider, whether a qualification was completed or not. Applicants with VET study may have other qualifications such as a Year 10 or Year 12 secondary school certificate.

Pathways

  • TAFE entry

    • AQF Diploma; or
    • AQF Advanced Diploma

  • STAT entry

    Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT)

    Written English and either MC Verbal or Quantitative

English requirements

Curtin requires all applicants to demonstrate proficiency in English. Specific English requirements for this course are outlined in the IELTS table below.

You may demonstrate English proficiency using the following tests and qualifications.

IELTS Academic (International English Language Testing System)

Writing

7

Speaking

7

Reading

7

Listening

7

Overall band score

7

Find your pathway to Curtin

Think you don’t have the marks or qualifications to study at Curtin? We have several pathways to help you meet admission. Use our pathway finder to find your best way to studying with us.

Pathway finder tool

Application Requirements

If you’re looking to apply for our Bachelor of Science (Oral Health Therapy), please refer to our admission requirements before completing your application.

You’re considered someone who has recently left university if:

Applicants with higher education are those whose highest level of study since leaving secondary education is a higher education course, such as a university degree. This may include applicants who are currently studying a higher education course at another education provider and want to transfer to Curtin University, or applicants who are currently studying at Curtin but want to switch to a different course. It may also include applicants who have completed past study with university and non-university higher education providers.

Curtin course switcher criteria

To switch into this course as a current Curtin student, you need to have:

1. completed a minimum of 100 credits; and

2. have achieved an average of 70% or higher in the four most recent units studied; and

3. be on good standing in the most recent course studied.

 

Higher education course switcher criteria

This course has a semester one intake only. 

A minimum ATAR/ Selection Rank of 80 is required

Note: Selection Ranks are assessed based on your tertiary studies

 

 

English requirements

Curtin requires all applicants to demonstrate proficiency in English. Specific English requirements for this course are outlined in the IELTS table below.

You may demonstrate English proficiency using the following tests and qualifications.

IELTS Academic (International English Language Testing System)

Writing

7

Speaking

7

Reading

7

Listening

7

Overall band score

7

Find your pathway to Curtin

Think you don’t have the marks or qualifications to study at Curtin? We have several pathways to help you meet admission. Use our pathway finder to find your best way to studying with us.

Pathway finder tool

Application Requirements

If you’re looking to apply for our Bachelor of Science (Oral Health Therapy), please refer to our admission requirements before completing your application.

Unsure what option suits you?

We’re here to help you navigate the complexities of university admission. Choose the support you need from the options below.

Find your pathway to Curtin

Think you don’t have the marks or qualifications to study at Curtin? We have several pathways to help you meet admission. Use our pathway finder to find your best way to studying with us.

Pathway finder tool

Application Requirements

If you’re looking to apply for our Bachelor of Science (Oral Health Therapy), please refer to our admission requirements before completing your application.

Other requirements and notes for this course

This can be a physically and mentally challenging course. Please familiarise yourself with the Inherent requirements | Study (curtin.edu.au) before applying. Reasonable adjustments can be made for students with disability.

In addition to the course-specific admission criteria listed above, please read our general admission criteria. Our general admission criteria apply to all courses at Curtin University.

Communicable diseases:
There is an onus on individual students to be aware of their immunity or carrier status in relation to communicable diseases. Depending on the status of any communicable disease there is the possibility that you may not be able to complete the clinical placement requirements of the course. Students who are carriers of blood-borne viruses are not permitted to perform some procedures on patients. Serological testing must therefore be completed prior to or during the first semester of study in the course and the results communicated to the course Administrative Assistant.
 

Credit for recognised learning (CRL)

Use your experience to get credit towards your degree

Finish your course sooner with credit for your previous study or work experience.

Fees and scholarships

Fee information is not available for this course at this time. Find estimated course fees.

Looking for more detail on the course structure?

View course structure

Frequently asked questions

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  • The offering information on this website applies only to future students. Current students should refer to faculty handbooks for current or past course information.

    The information on this page may be subject to change. In particular, Curtin University may change the content, method or location of delivery or tuition fees of courses.

    While Curtin uses reasonable efforts to ensure that the information provided on this page is accurate and up to date, errors and omissions sometimes occur. Curtin makes no warranty, representation or undertaking (expressed or implied) nor does it assume any legal liability (direct or indirect) for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information.

    View courses information disclaimer.

  • Curtin course code: B-ORALHT
  • CRICOS code: 074565F
  • Last updated on: 12 December 2024

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