Graduate Certificate in Dental Therapy (Advanced Clinical Practice) (GC-DTACP) // Attributes, outcomes and skills

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Intended learning outcomes

On completion of this course students should have the ability to:

  • Competently assess a patient's medical history to ascertain possible complications to care and to seek appropriate referral advice when required;
  • Undertake a comprehensive examination of adult patients, diagnose disease and identify simple restorative needs and those that require referral to a dentist;
  • Identify occlusal conditions that contraindicate dental restoration by a DT/OHT;
  • Identify different types of dental prostheses used in dentistry including the indications for each;
  • Describe the possible complications for placing restorations adjacent to a fixed or removable prosthesis;
  • Appreciate the restorativeperiodontal interface;
  • Describe common endodontic therapies used in permanent teeth and recognize clinical signs of failure that require referral;
  • Describe age related changes in teeth and the supporting structures;
  • Appreciate the challenges of restoring form and function with simple, direct multi‐surface restorations in adult mouths;
  • Display knowledge in treatment planning for care considered part of the scope of practice for OHT or DT, recognition of the boundaries and appropriate consultation and referral pathways for those elements outside such scope;
  • Undertake treatment planning for care considered part of the scope of practice for OHT or DT and consult or refer to a dentist for those elements outside such scope;
  • Demonstrate knowledge and competency in adult clinical dental therapy practice;
  • Demonstrate knowledge and the ability to respond appropriately to adult dental trauma and dental emergencies; and
  • Recognize when clinical cases are beyond their skill set and make appropriate referral.

Graduate attributes

The Melbourne Experience enables our graduates to become:

Academically excellent:

  • have a strong sense of intellectual integrity and the ethics of scholarship
  • hve in-depth knowledge of their specialist discipline(s)
  • reach a high level of achievement in writing, generic research activities, problem-solving and communication
  • be critical and creative thinkers, with an aptitude for continued self-directed learning
  • be adept at learning in a range of ways, including through information and communication technologies

Knowledgeable across disciplines:

  • examine critically, synthesise and evaluate knowledge across a broad range of disciplines
  • expand their analytical and cognitive skills through learning experiences in diverse subjects
  • have the capacity to participate fully in collaborative learning and to confront unfamiliar problems
  • have a set of flexible and transferable skills for different types of employment

Leaders in communities:

  • initiate and implement constructive change in their communities, including professions and workplaces
  • have excellent interpersonal and decision-making skills, including an awareness of personal strengths and limitations
  • mentor future generations of learners
  • engage in meaningful public discourse, with a profound awareness of community needs

Attuned to cultural diversity:

  • value different cultures
  • be well-informed citizens able to contribute to their communities wherever they choose to live and work
  • have an understanding of the social and cultural diversity in our community
  • respect indigenous knowledge, cultures and values

Active global citizens:

  • accept social and civic responsibilities
  • be advocates for improving the sustainability of the environment
  • have a broad global understanding, with a high regard for human rights, equity and ethics

Last updated: 14 April 2025