Dentistry

We recommend you begin your OzTREKK application about a year before your program would start. Most programs in Australia start between January and March, so that means you would start your OzTREKK application between January and March the year prior.

Here’s how the typical “cycle” works if your program starts January – March:

March – May: You gather all required documents like passport photo page, transcripts, résumé, personal statement, and send them to our office. Don’t worry, we’ll tell you exactly what we need!

June – August: Interviews (if your program requires one)

September – December: Offer time! If you get an offer, we’ll walk you through the acceptance (or decline) process and give you all the help you need to get ready to go.

January – March: Time to head Down Under!

Australia and New Zealand offer professional dental programs at both the undergraduate- and graduate-entry levels. Undergraduate-entry or bachelor’s-level dental degrees like the Bachelor of Dental Science or Bachelor of Dental Surgery are open to applicants who have completed high school, as well as to those who have fully or partially completed an undergraduate degree.

Graduate-entry (master’s-level) dental degrees like the Doctor of Dental Surgery and Doctor of Dental Medicine are only open to applicants who have completed an undergraduate degree and have written the Canadian or American DAT. The only graduate-entry option OzTREKK features that doesn’t require the DAT is the University of Otago’s graduate-entry Bachelor of Dental Surgery.

Both the graduate-entry and undergraduate-entry dental programs will allow you to practice as a general dentist in Canada as well in Australia. The name of the program does not necessarily affect its accreditation status. The program is not required to be a “doctor” program to be accredited as it is the content and quality of the program that determines its eligibility, not simply the name.

Yes, but you’ll require parental or guardian consent (signature). OzTREKK will provide the necessary documentation for this signature.

If you won’t be 18 when your program starts, you’ll be required to show that you’ll be living with an approved guardian until you turn 18. If you don’t have an approved guardian in Australia, you may need a family member to apply for a guardian visa to accompany you. This guardian visa should be obtained as part of the student visa application

No. All OzTREKK-featured dental programs have specific application deadlines. You’re encouraged to check the dentistry program pages for admissions details, as this can change from year to year.

To get into an undergraduate-entry dental program, universities will average your top 4 – 6 Grade 12 courses along with prerequisites 12 (varies by province).

English is required by all universities. To meet prerequisite requirements for all courses, you’ll also need biology, chemistry and advanced math (typically pre-calculus or calculus or equivalent), depending on the province. Physics is recommended but not mandatory.

If you’re not sure about your prerequisites, please reach out to dentistry@oztrekk.com!

Of all the dental schools we represent, only James Cook University will consider extracurriculars and clubs, which should be included on the Bachelor of Dental Surgery supplemental application. JCU will also accept up to 3 reference letters.

The most consideration will be placed on academics such as GPA, prerequisites, and any applicable admissions tests. There may be cases where accomplishments and experiences outside the academic sphere may be mentioned, for example in a personal statement, a supplemental form, or in interviews should a student be invited; however, we are not privy to the weight that may be given to these supplementary documents.

Where an application requests a personal statement, you may decide to include this information as part of your response.

James Cook University is the only university that requires a supplemental form as part of its admissions requirements. It has approximately 5 questions to answer in short-essay format. JCU also allows up to 3 reference letters to be included in the application.

La Trobe University and the University of Otago require a personal statement, and Charles Sturt University requires the completion of a genuine student questionnaire.

Only James Cook University will consider up to 3 reference letters and work/volunteer experience, which you can include in the supplemental application.

There are a few universities that will require additional documents such as personal statements, or that conduct interviews where students can mention these additional attributes; however, the main basis of assessment is typically academic or admissions-test based.

Scholarship options in Australia are usually limited for international students as they tend to be reserved for those undertaking postgraduate research degrees; however, we can advise you where to look and whether specific programs have a history of offering scholarships.

Occasionally, scholarships are granted to high achievers—those with very high marks. In previous years, we have seen $5000- to $10,000-scholarships given to OzTREKK students.

Check out OzTREKK’s Financing page to learn more about scholarships and paying for your degree.

For a transcript to be considered “official,” it must be sent directly from your high school, college, and/or university (either via snail mail or by email). It can even come from you—as long as it arrives in the original, sealed envelope.

To assess your application, universities must see your official transcripts certified by OzTREKK—a requirement of Australian and New Zealand universities and a part of our agreement with them.

By email (preferred method): Your high school, college and/or university can email them to transcripts@oztrekk.com or they can use an official transcript service, like Parchment or MyCreds. When submitting a request for a digital transcript and a password is required, please use OZTREKK1 (all capitals, no spaces). If you have a character limit or need to set an access pin, please use 1234.

By mail (only if unable to send via email): Please order your transcripts to be sent directly to our office from all institutions where you have studied since high school, including any college studies, exchanges, transfer credits, and/or advanced placement (or IB) studies. Please note, some programs also require high school transcripts; if this is the case, your student advisor will let you know.

Send your documents via FedEx or Purolator, especially when you need your documents to arrive at our office ASAP. If you use Canada Post’s courier Xpresspost, please don’t request a signature, as this can add delays.

OzTREKK
301–1 Sherbrooke Street East
Perth, ON K7H 1A1 Canada

As soon as your transcript arrives, we’ll let you know!

For undergraduate dental degrees, average marks for entry vary by university.

From high school: Best 4–6 Grade 12 courses (or equivalent) along with prerequisites, depending on the province. Minimum average GPA  is 83% – 94%, with competitive average starting at 95%+.
With some university studies: Minimum cGPA is 2.7 – 3.1 with a competitive average starting at 3.7.

Click on a university for uni-specific entry requirements and visit our Eligibility page for more details.

The Australian and New Zealand universities OzTREKK represent are ranked highly by higher education ranking systems. Each dental program is known by the quality of its education, its state-of-the-art facilities, and by its specialties e.g., rural and remote dentistry. Deciding which program to undertake is usually a personal choice but chatting with OzTREKK is usually the best place to start!

Bachelor dentistry degrees are considered undergraduate degrees and are open to students who have a high school diploma. Master (or doctor) dentistry degrees are considered graduate degrees; therefore, candidates must hold an undergraduate degree to qualify for entry.

While the Doctor of Dental Surgery or Doctor of Dental Medicine has “doctor” in their titles, it is considered a master’s degree. A doctorate degree is considered a research degree (PhD).

Both bachelor and master (or doctor) dentistry degrees are professional programs, considered entry-to-practice, meaning you can practice after completing either degree.

If your documents are not in English, you must provide full translation of each document, either prepared by your university or by a registered translator. You must not translate the documents yourself.

Please note OzTREKK must receive the official translation directly from the university or translator in order to certify the document. Please read How Do I Send My Transcripts for more information.

Please note the number of places listed are estimates given to OzTREKK by the universities and are subject to change from year to year.

University of Adelaide: 36
Charles Sturt University: 10
Griffith University: 25
James Cook University: 15
La Trobe: TBC
University of Melbourne: 40
University of Otago: 10
University of Queensland: 40
University of Sydney: 40
University of Western Australia Graduate: 6
University of Western Australia Undergraduate: Not shared with OzTREKK

The undergraduate-entry dental programs do not require applicants to write the DAT; however, The University of Adelaide, Griffith University, and The University of Queensland require the UCAT ANZ admissions test. Additionally, the undergraduate program at The University of Western Australia requires the ISAT. The assessment for these universities will vary with the inclusion of an admissions test in addition to GPA and applicable prerequisite requirements.

The process to practice dentistry after graduating from an Australian dental school is straightforward. The Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada has a mutual recognition with the Australian Dental Council (ADC) and Dental Council of New Zealand (DCNZ) since 2010, meaning that since then, they have recognized one another’s accreditation.

This means that after graduating from an accredited Australian or New Zealand dental program, Canadians can then take the same National Dental Examining Board of Canada (NDEB) virtual OSCE examination that graduates of Canadian dental schools take to become licensed to practice dentistry in Canada without having to undertake a bridging program or other additional requirements to become licensed.

Pathway to Certification

1. Create an online application through NDEB Portal.
2. Provide original transcript showcasing your graduation date.
3. Register, study for, and pass the virtual OSCE (taken a maximum of 3 times)
4. Once you’ve passed the exam and have provided proof of your graduation, you will be certified, and a certificate will be issued.
5. You will then follow the steps to receive provincial licensure.

For more information about the process, please visit our Practicing dentistry in Canada page.