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NEW SCOPE
NEW HORIZONS The recent approval of the revised scope of practice is epic news, not least because it has unlocked a wealth of new career opportunities for oral health professionals By Cheryl Dey
AFTER TWO YEARS of consultations, surveys, submissions, and meetings, the DHAA was excited to hear in November that the revised scope of practice registration standard was approved by the Council of Australia Governments (COAG) Health Council (CHC), and that the revised Standard will take effect from mid-2020. The decision came after significant work completed by the Dental Board of Australia to review the existing registration standards for dental practitioners. In addition to the strong evidence available, the change was also independently assessed by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC). We were pleased to see that the Commission agreed that the proposed change will not have any adverse effect on patient safety and quality. This provides no surprises as the DHAA strongly believes that our members have the best interests for patients and our profession. The revised standard removes the requirements for ‘independent practitioner’ and a ‘structured professional relationship.’ It has also removed reference to programs to
extend scope, giving effect to the Board’s decision to phase out the approval process of these programs. These changes recognise the dental hygienists, dental therapists and oral health therapists as the highly trained and educated oral health professionals we are.
Independent Practice A professional can be defined as “a member of a profession… governed by a code of ethics, and profess commitment to competence, integrity and morality, altruism, and the promotion of the public good within their expert domain. Professionals are accountable to those served and to society”. All health professionals, regardless of their profession, division or endorsements, through the process of registering for practice are committing to providing services within their scope of practice. Being recognised as independent practitioners will allow greater opportunities for DH/DT/OHT to practice in a variety of settings, including residential aged care facilities, group
