Mr Damien Valentin

• Dental prosthetists are nationally registered dental professionals and recognised dental care providers by:
  • the Australian Federal Government for services to war veterans
  • the Dental Board of Australia
  • State Government dental programs
  • All private health funds
• Dental prosthetists have expanded their dentistry career within the technical environment by completing further dental studies in order to have direct patient contact to include a more patient-oriented direction for the construction and maintenance of removable oral appliances
• Dental Technology is a prerequisite to entering an accredited course in Dental Prosthetics. To become a dental prosthetist, you must have already trained as a dental technician.
• Registration to practice a dental prosthetist
  • requires successful completion of an accredited post-graduate course in Dental Prosthetics
  • must be renewed annually once granted

A dental prosthetist’s clinical role is focused on diagnostic, preventive and fabrication duties to provide a complete removable prosthetic service for the replacement and protection of natural teeth.

• Make independent and critical judgments with their highly developed skills in appliance design and construction to offer tooth replacement and protective solutions for their patients
• Work independently to assess, design, construct, fit and adjust removable complete and partial Dentures and sports mouthguards without the need of a referral from a dentist
• Arrange referral for the treatment and manufacture of:
  • implant retained overdentures
  • immediate dentures
  • splints
  • anti-snoring devices.

As part of dental prosthetic services, a dental prosthetist in New South Wales may include:

• Perform oral health assessments that include taking a health history, dental charting, oral cancer screening, saliva testing and taking vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, blood glucose, respiration);
• Perform a dental examination to develop a treatment plan;
• Refer patients with complex dental conditions to an appropriate dentist or specialist dentist;
• Identify, select and prepare instruments, equipment and materials as required;
• Make impressions of the teeth for denture and sports mouthguard construction;
• Make plaster and stone models of the mouth and teeth from impressions;
• Measure and record jaw relationships;
• Replicate the jaw positions using the plaster or stone models on articulating equipment;
• Select and arrange artificial teeth for full or partial dentures;
• Evaluate a dental prosthesis at try-in stage;
• Insert and issue a completed dental prosthesis (denture and sports mouthguard);
• Perform maintenance, repair and reline services on removable dental prosthesis required by the patient or a referring dentist;
• Teach oral health hygiene techniques to help people maintain natural teeth;
• Counsel patients on plaque control, good nutrition, smoking cessation and systemic health;
• Manage the delivery of quality patient care;
• Perform all procedures permitted by the dental technician

• A dental prosthetist is registered by the Australian Health Practitioners Registration Agency.
  • The Dental Board of Australia recognises the need for a high level of responsibility and accuracy from the dental prosthetist on the potential effects of their products and services on the health and appearance of a person
• Dental prosthetists have versatile clinical and technical skills to:
  • replace or protect tooth function
  • while preserving the oral soft and hard tissues that support the removable dental prosthesis
• When you are placed in the care of a dental prosthetist you can be secure in the knowledge that you are being looked after by a highly knowledgeable dental practitioner with:
  • the most comprehensive knowledge of advanced techniques and appropriate methods to construct oral appliances from a variety of new and different materials
  • the latest world trends in the field of dental prosthetics
• A dental prosthetist:
  • applies a high level of attention to detail and precision
  • has good hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity
  • possesses artistic ability to construct, form and design
  • a good listener with sensitivity to your needs
• You will have the satisfaction of receiving a specific range of dental services that are congruent to the aim of dentistry in improving oral health and hence overall general health

SOURCE: ADA NSW