Certificate III in Dental Assisting

Skills check

Domestic students

You will be invited to complete a Skills Check following your application submission, before enrolling to your studies. This helps you to decide if your course is right for you and allows us to understand your current abilities in English, Maths, as well as using Digital technology. 

The recommended benchmark levels for this course are 3 in English, 3 in Maths and 3 in Digital Technology.

Access and instructions on how to complete the Skills Check will be emailed to you once you have submitted your application.

Read the Skills Check FAQs.

Selection criteria

Existing worker delivery / Traineeship
The following selection criteria requirements apply only to existing workers (online) delivery and traineeship only:

• If your chosen study mode is workplace delivery, it is a requirement that you are currently working in the Dental industry (to be eligible to complete the external program - students must be working a minimum of 15 hours per week as a Dental Assistant) 
• To satisfy the performance evidence requirements of units within this qualification, you must have access to workplace experiences that provide exposure to a breadth of general dental procedures. If you currently work at an orthodontic or other specialist practice, you will be required to spend up to 100 placement hours at a general dental practice.

Traineeship pathway
​To study a traineeship program you must be indentured as a trainee with your employer.

Employers need to be able to provide necessary human and physical resources to qualify for a trainee.

Find out more on how to become an apprentice or trainee

Domestic and International on campus delivery
The following selection criteria requirements apply only on campus delivery students:

• Academic Requirements: Completion of Year 10 (or equivalent). Non school-leavers must have relevant work experience or qualification that indicates likely success of course completion. For more information on the international education achievement levels equivalent to Year 10 and 12
• Due to workplace Health and Safety, all participants need to have completed a course of Hepatitis B vaccinations before commencement of vocational placement, which occurs in approximately week 14 of the program. A course of injections takes approximately 6 months to complete and if applicants have not had Hep B vaccinations, they must begin the process and have had at least 2 of the 3 required injections prior to going to vocational placement. You will be required to provide a copy of your serology report as evidence of sero-conversion to HepB surface antigen (anti-HBsAg). Please contact your GP to arrange a referral for a blood test.

International students
The following selection criteria requirements apply only to International students:

• English Language Proficiency: Academic IELTS 6.0 (no individual band less than 5.5) or equivalent - For a list of all English Language tests accepted by TAFE Queensland International.
• Academic Requirements: Completion of Year 10 (or equivalent). Non school-leavers must have relevant work experience or qualification that indicates likely success of course completion. For more information on the international education achievement levels equivalent to Year 10 and 12
• Due to workplace Health and Safety, all participants need to have completed a course of Hepatitis B vaccinations before commencement of vocational placement, which occurs in approximately week 14 of the program. A course of injections takes approximately 6 months to complete and if applicants have not had Hep B vaccinations, they must begin the process and have had at least 2 of the 3 required injections prior to going to vocational placement. You will be required to provide a copy of your serology report as evidence of sero-conversion to HepB surface antigen (anti-HBsAg). Please contact your GP to arrange a referral for a blood test

Applicants must be at least 17 years of age at the time of commencement and must turn 18 years old within one academic year of their course start date or within the first study period of an ELICOS course. International applicants who are under 18 years of age and applying for a student visa are required by the Australian Department of Home Affairs to have approved welfare and accommodation arrangements in place for the duration of their stay until they turn 18.

It is recommended that you have access to a reliable internet connection to access TAFE Queensland's online learning system Connect, and a computer with up-to-date software, including Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat Reader. This equipment and software is available for use at all TAFE Queensland locations.

If you are not currently employed or volunteering in industry, during your course you will be required to complete vocational placement so you can start practising your new skills in a real-world environment. You’ll be required to work shifts determined by your placement provider, and these can include early mornings or late nights, any day of the week, including public holidays. TAFE Queensland may be able to assist in arranging suitable placements.

Completing placement is compulsory, and you will be expected to manage family and work commitments in order to complete your shifts. You are required to complete 350 hours of placement to satisfy this component of your qualification.

Vaccination requirements
Vaccinations may be required by the owner or operator of the facility providing your placement.
These requirements will be provided, prior to arrangements being made for the completion of vocational placement.