This National Training Package qualification will equip you with the skills required for registration and work as a dental prosthetist in Australia.
You will develop your skills across a vast range of patients as you work independently to provide denture services and mouthguards to the public. Additionally, you will work with dentists to service patients requiring oral splints.
You'll be based at the RMIT facilities at Royal Melbourne Dental Hospital in Carlton, regarded as the leading teaching dental hospital in Victoria.
RMIT has extensive links with Dental Health Services Victoria both at the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne and in the metropolitan and regional community centres.
This diploma is nationally recognised and endorsed as the pre-eminent qualification required for registration with the Dental Board of Australia.
This training is delivered with Victorian and Commonwealth Government funding.
Please note: this advanced diploma is not available for international students intending to study on a student visa. If you are holding a temporary visa (other than a student visa) and your visa has a full study entitlement, you may be eligible to apply. For more information, see the international students with other temporary (non-student) visas.
RMIT offers a variety of learning and teaching approaches, including interactive online sessions, seminars, , group discussions, laboratory and clinical work.
You'll work as part of the broader dental health team, including dentists, and dental specialists, hygienists, and assistants.
Ongoing assessment throughout the semester includes knowledge assessments, reports, presentations, group projects, research projects, and clinical activities.
Ongoing assessment throughout the semester includes knowledge assessments, reports, presentations, group projects, research projects, and clinical activities.
The types of classes you have will depend on the course you’re studying. Classes are offered in various formats designed to provide meaningful engagement with staff, industry and peers and provide for access and use of spaces where learning can be applied and active, including an array of specialised equipment.
Most RMIT courses do not include passive large-scale classes such as lectures, instead the content traditionally provided in lectures is made available online. This may be in the form of readings, videos or other on-demand learning materials. This content will also support the basis of interactive learning that takes place in on-campus classes.
The world is constantly changing, and there are universal skills that can help you adapt to the evolving nature of work and global engagement.
As part of your study experience at RMIT, we provide 6 future-focused RMIT Capabilities:
RMIT Capabilities are built into your course as well as some of our extracurricular experiences. They inform the design and delivery of your learning activities and assessments, so by the time you graduate, you’ll be ready to apply these capabilities in your life and work.
Your clinical training will involve treating Dental Health Services Victoria patients at the Royal Melbourne Dental Hospital or, by arrangement, at a regional or metropolitan community health centre.
During the first year, students will be required to attend a 2 week clinical induction in the first 2 weeks of semester 1.
This will mean students will attend 5 days per week for 2 weeks on campus.
The knowledge and skills you will acquire throughout this advanced diploma and how they can be applied in your career are described in the learning outcomes.
You'll develop an understanding of treatment planning, including:
You'll build on your treatment planning knowledge by treating patients requiring partial dental prosthetic services, including:
Choose a plan below to find out more about the subjects you will study and the course structure.
Dental prosthetists work both independently and in public clinics to provide mouthguards and denture services, as well as oral splint treatment under referral from a dentist.
This program is nationally recognised and endorsed as the pre-eminent qualification required for registration with the Dental Board of Australia.
AHPRA and the Dental Board work together to register health practitioners.
All graduates are required to apply to AHPRA for registration. You will need to meet all of their requirements. Full details are available from the AHPRA website.
RMIT has a strong relationship with the Australian Dental Prosthetists Association, ensuring students are closely aligned to the peak industry body throughout their training.
The University, through this program, also has extensive links with Dental Health Services Victoria both at the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne and in the metropolitan and regional community centres for the provision of clinical training.
You need to satisfy all of the following academic (entry) requirements to be considered for entry into this course.
Successful completion of either:
OR
The entry requirements for this qualification are specified on the national register of Vocational Education and Training (VET). For this reason, exceptions or variations cannot be considered.
Graduates of this program applying for registration must meet strict English language requirements.
There are no prerequisite subjects required for entry into this qualification.
A selection task is not required for entry into this qualification.
If you are successful in obtaining a place in this program, you must meet a number of professional compliance requirements upon commencement of your studies.
You will be required to hold a Victorian Working with Children Check valid for 5 years, prior to undertaking clinical components as part of this program.
Note: For clinical components undertaken interstate a valid Working With Children Check for that state is required.
You will be required to present evidence of a successful Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check prior to undertaking the clinical components of this program (this is an annual requirement for the duration of your program). Checks are conducted via fit2work. An account with fit2work will be created using your name and your RMIT issued student email address once studies in the program have commenced. Further information will be provided once enrolment has been completed.
You will be required to undertake COVID19 Vaccination as part of this program. Further information will be provided once enrolment has been completed.
You will be required to undertake annual influenza vaccination as part of this program. Further information will be provided once enrolment has been completed.
Please note: A full course of immunisations can take up to 7 months to complete, you should contact your medical practitioner prior to entering the program to commence immunisations. It is a requirement that you will have commenced all immunisations and will continue to progress this until completion of the vaccination courses by the deadlines set by the university.
Important: Additional immunisations may be required in response to changes in Government regulations or at the request of the placement host organisation.
All students are required to be tested for infection with blood borne viruses (Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV) no more than 12 months prior to course commencement. Students and practitioners performing exposure-prone procedures, such as dental and oral health students, are required to repeat this testing every three years due to an increased risk of infection transmission.
*All relevant screening and compliance check fees are the responsibility of the student.
Undertaking a certificate, diploma, advanced diploma or associate degree can help you meet the entry requirements for your preferred degree. These qualifications often provide credit, reducing the duration of your bachelor degree.
Even though there are no formal pathways into this course, there are often other ways you can gain entry.
Credit, recognition of prior learning, professional experience and accreditation from a professional body can reduce the duration of your study by acknowledging your earlier, relevant experience.
Credit and exemptions will be assessed consistent with the principles of the RMIT Credit Policy.
When you sucessfully complete this advanced diploma, you may be eligible for entry into other RMIT undergraduate courses such as an associate degree or bachelor's degree.
Contact Study@RMIT to discuss your options or browse our courses.
The tuition fees you will pay for this program will depend on whether you are offered a Victorian Government subsidised place or a full-fee place. To find out if you are eligible for a government subsidised place, follow the steps at How to check if you are eligible.
*Fees shown are indicative only and subject to change given individual circumstances at the time of enrolment.
Use our fee finder to get an estimate of your fees for this program.
The student tuition fees as displayed by the fee finder are indicative only and subject to change given individual circumstances at enrolment. Fees are adjusted on an annual basis and these fees should only be used as a guide.
**The Victorian Government is currently waiving three (3) eligibility criteria around prior qualifications. This means that more people who want to study a vocational education program at RMIT, and who have studied previously, will be able to access a government subsidised place in a program. Find out how to check your eligibility
The Australian Government provides financial assistance via the VET Student Loans scheme, which allows eligible students in eligible programs to defer payment of their tuition fees, up to the maximum loan amount for their program.
For information on how to pay your fees or how to apply for a refund, please see Paying your fees and applying for refunds.
In addition to tuition fees, you will be charged an annual student services and amenities fee (SSAF), which is used to maintain and enhance services and amenities that improve your experience as an RMIT student.
The SSAF is calculated based on your enrolment load and the maximum fee for 2025 is $365.
You may also be required to purchase other items related to this course, including field trips, textbooks and equipment.
While we make every effort to ensure that materials fees are kept to a minimum and are competitive with alternative suppliers, material fees are not compulsory and you may choose to purchase these items independently.
For more information about material and other fees for this course, see additional fees and expenses.
The Australian Government provides financial assistance via the VET Student Loans scheme, which allows eligible students in eligible programs to defer payment of their tuition fees, up to the maximum loan amount for their program.
If your VET Student Loan application is successful, the Australian Government will pay RMIT your tuition fees on your behalf, up to the maximum loan amount for your program.
Your VET Student Loan becomes part of your VETSL debt. You will start repaying your accumulated VETSL debt to the Australian Government once you earn above the minimum income threshold for repayment, which is adjusted each year (this also applies if you are still studying).
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will calculate your compulsory repayment for the year and include this on your income tax notice.
The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology advises that:
For more information see VET Student Loans or Study Assist.
If your program is eligible for the VET Student Loan scheme and has a loan cap that doesn’t cover the total amount of the tuition fees for your program, then you’ll need to pay RMIT the difference by the due date once you exceed the cap.
It’s easy for you to keep track of your VET Student Loan debt, and you can choose to make upfront payments at any time before the census date.
RMIT awards more than 2000 scholarships every year to recognise academic achievement and assist students from a variety of backgrounds.
In addition to tuition fees you also need to pay for:
You also need to account for your living expenses. Estimate the cost of living in Melbourne.
In addition to tuition fees, you will be charged an annual student services and amenities fee (SSAF), which is used to maintain and enhance services and amenities that improve your experience as an RMIT student.
The SSAF is calculated based on your enrolment load and the maximum fee for 2025 is $365.
Find out more details about how fees are calculated and the expected annual increase.
Find information on how to apply for a refund as a continuing international student.
RMIT awards more than 2000 scholarships every year to recognise academic achievement and assist students from a variety of backgrounds.
Use our Frequently Asked Questions to learn about the application process and its equity access schemes, find out how to accept or defer your offer or request a leave of absence, discover information about your fees, refunds and scholarships, and explore the various student support and advocacy services, as well as how to find out more about your preferred program, and more.
Acknowledgement of Country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.
