Overview

Dental Technology is the technical side of dentistry where a dental technician, on prescription of a dentist, makes any prosthesis or appliance for the head and neck. This could consist of:

• Artificial teeth such as complete dentures, partial dentures, crowns and bridges and implant supported dentures in various materials such as acrylics, alloys, and ceramics;
• Removable orthodontic appliances consisting of springs and retainers in acrylic bases for the movement of teeth. Mouth guards to protect against sports injuries;
• Maxillofacial appliances such as artificial eyes, ears, and facial prostheses that may be required after surgical treatment.

Dental technicians do not have direct contact with patients. Instead they work in a dental laboratory where various prosthetic appliances are custom made. Dental technicians can be thought of as artists who, with a thorough understanding of dental materials science, use their artistic skills to fabricate the form, colour and function of individual teeth or maxillofacial prostheses for a patient. The fact that the product can affect the health and appearance of a person demands of the technician a high level of responsibility and accuracy. For this reason, the profession of dental technology is registered under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2004. Graduates with the Bachelor of Dental Technology (BDentTech) degree are automatically entitled to register with the New Zealand Dental Technicians Board.

Information for new applicants

Applications for Dental Technology:
Open: 1 August
Close: 15 September

Find the guidelines for admission to the Division of Health Sciences

This programme is subject to limitations on enrolment numbers.  Qualified domestic students are given first preference, but places are likely to be available for international students who meet all the requirements.

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Requirements

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Regulations for the Degree of Bachelor of Dental Technology (BDentTech)

Note: For specific enquiries about admission to the Dental Technology programme students should contact AskOtago ask@otago.ac.nz

1. Admission to the Programme

   1. The number of domestic students admitted to the Bachelor of Dental Technology programme is limited to the number determined by the Council annually on the basis of available resources.  Some additional places may be available to International students.
   2. Applications for admission by domestic students may be made by those eligible under the following categories:
      1. Secondary School (see 1(i))
      2. One Year of University Study (see 1(l))
      3. Two or More Years of University Study (see 1(o))
      4. Graduate (see 1(r))
      5. Alternative (see 1(u)).
   3. Applications must be made by the due dates specified for each category as part of the Guidelines for Admission into the Health Sciences Professional Programmes published at www.otago.ac.nz/healthsciences (“the Guidelines”).
   4. Selection of eligible students for admission to the programme shall be made by the Dental Technology Admissions Committee (“the Committee”) whose terms of reference shall be established by the Division of Health Sciences and approved by the Senate.
   5. Subject to these regulations and the Selection Criteria established by the Committee and approved by the Senate from time to time and published as part of the Guidelines, selection for admission shall be in the discretion of the Committee.
   6. Without limitation, the Selection Criteria may include:
      1. academic performance;
      2. demonstration of appropriate attributes for admission into the programme.

   7. The Division of Health Sciences' Te Kauae Parāoa policy promotes and facilitates equity for Māori students and students from other under-represented groups.  In accordance with this policy, the Selection Criteria may provide for applicants in the following equity groups to be given preference for selection:
      • Māori
      • Resident Indigenous Pacific
      • Rural
      • Socioeconomic Equity
      • Refugee Background
   8. Recognition for inclusion in the Māori and Resident Indigenous Pacific equity groups shall be through demonstration of ancestry in accordance with the University's Ancestry Verification Procedures for Māori and Pacific Students and any other criteria the Senate may determine.  Criteria for inclusion in the Rural, Socioeconomic Equity and Refugee Background equity groups shall be established by the Academic Board of the Division of Health Sciences and approved by the Senate.  Criteria approved by the Senate shall be published as part of the Guidelines.

   Secondary School Category

   9. To be eligible for selection for admission under the Secondary School category, an applicant must have attained a minimum of 14 credits in each of two National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Level 3 approved subjects (or equivalent) from Science, Mathematics, or Technology, and must not have commenced university study.
   10. Applicants must have completed (or be completing) NCEA Level 3 subjects (or equivalent) within the last five years.
   11. An applicant may be required to attend an interview.

   One Year of University Study

   12. To be eligible to be selected for admission under the One Year of University Study category applicants must have completed within the last five years one year of relevant university study in New Zealand, to a standard determined by the Committee and published as part of the Selection Criteria.
   13. An applicant may be required to attend an interview.
   14. Applicants offered a place under the One Year of University Study category may be required to pass prescribed papers, to a standard determined by the Committee, before being admitted to the programme.

   Two or More Years of University Study

   15. To be eligible for selection for admission under the Two or More Years of University Study category applicants must not be a finalist, but must have completed within the last five years two or more years of relevant university study in New Zealand, comprising at least three papers at 200-level, to a standard determined by the Committee and published as part of the Selection Criteria.
   16. An applicant may be required to attend an interview.
   17. Applicants offered a place under the Two or More Years of University Study category may be required to pass prescribed papers, to a standard determined by the Committee, before being admitted to the programme.

   Graduate Category

   18. To be eligible for selection for admission under the Graduate category, an applicant must have completed as their first degree, within three years prior to the date of application, and in the minimum academic time, at least one of the following qualifications awarded by a university in New Zealand:
       1. a bachelor's degree; or
       2. undergraduate bachelor's honours degree; or
       3. bachelor's degree, followed without break in study by a postgraduate diploma or postgraduate honours year.
   19. An applicant may be required to attend an interview.
   20. Applicants offered a place under the Graduate category may be required to pass prescribed papers, to a standard determined by the Committee, before being admitted to the programme.

   Alternative Category

   21. To be eligible to be considered for admission under the Alternative category, an applicant must not be eligible for any other admission category and:
       1. hold a degree from a New Zealand university; or
       2. have completed a degree at an overseas university at a standard of at least NZQF Level 7; or
       3. hold a master's or doctoral degree; or
       4. demonstrate health-related professional experience in a relevant field to a standard acceptable to the Committee; or
       5. have completed relevant study acceptable to the Committee.
   22. Applicants offered a place under the Alternative category may be required to pass prescribed papers, to a standard determined by the Committee, before being admitted to the programme.

   International Admissions

   23. The Committee may offer a limited number of places in the programme to international students who meet all the requirements determined by the Committee.

   Exceptional Circumstances

   24. Notwithstanding any of the above provisions, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Health Sciences) shall have discretion to approve a recommendation from the Committee concerning any applicant who, not having satisfied these regulations in a particular aspect, in the Committee's view warrants admission to the programme for exceptional reasons.

   Declining of Admission

   25. Any applicant who
       1. is, or who has been, the subject of criminal charges; or
       2. is, or has been, subject to disciplinary proceedings of a tertiary institution or professional body; or
       3. has been found to have an issue (whether in connection with their mental or physical health, or their professional attributes or conduct, or otherwise) that compromises or is likely to compromise their fitness to practise; or
       4. who is found to have failed to declare a matter covered by (y)(i)-(iii),

       may be declined admission to the programme by the Dental Technology Admissions Committee on the recommendation of the Health and Conduct Review Group. Any offer of admission made before responses to medical tests or requests for information regarding an applicant's health status or past conduct have been received is conditional on the information received confirming the applicant's suitability for admission.

2. Structure of the Programme

   1. Every programme of study shall satisfy the requirements set out in the Schedule of papers for the degree.
   2. Students will not normally be permitted to enrol in any papers of a year until all papers of the preceding year have been passed.

3. Credits

   The Faculty of Dentistry may grant such credits as it deems appropriate for work done previously by a student.

4. Duration of the Programme

   The duration of the programme shall normally be three academic years of full-time study.

5. Assessment

   1. Assessment for the various papers is formative and summative.
   2. Assessment may use a variety of oral, practical and written examinations as required by examiners.
   3. For practical papers, students are required to pass the theoretical and practical components of the paper.

6. Special Examinations

   1. If a paper is failed, on the recommendation of the Board of Examiners and with the approval of the Board of Studies for Dentistry, a student may be given the opportunity to progress by undertaking remedial activity before being reassessed in a special examination.
   2. Special examinations may use a variety of oral, practical, and written examinations as required by examiners.
   3. Where a student sits a special examination and passes, they will have met the requirements to pass the paper.  The maximum mark that can be gained in a special examination is the original mark or a pass mark, whichever is higher.
   4. A student who fails a special examination is required to repeat the whole paper.
   5. A student who has achieved an E grade in a paper or failed clinical and theoretical parts of a paper, or has failed multiple papers in any year, shall not normally be offered a special examination.
   6. Where a paper is repeated the whole paper must be repeated.

7. Withdrawal from the Programme

   1. Deferral of admission to first year classes
      1. In limited circumstances, the Dental Technology Admissions Committee may allow a student to defer admission to the first year classes for one year. Any application for deferral must be made no later than the end of the third week of classes in the original year of admission. Where deferral is granted the right of re-entry to first year classes remains subject to confirmation by the Dental Technology Admissions Committee.
      2. Applications for deferral and for confirmation of the right to re-entry will be determined by the Dental Technology Admissions Committee in accordance with the criteria and procedures set out in the Admissions Guidelines.
   2. Temporary withdrawal from programme
      1. A student who wishes to withdraw from the programme on a temporary basis must apply and obtain the prior approval of the Board of Studies for Dentistry. Where temporary withdrawal is approved, re-admission to the programme remains subject to the approval of the Board of Studies for Dentistry. Any application for approval of readmission needs to be made no later than 1 October in the year prior to that for which readmission is sought.
      2. Applications for temporary withdrawal and for readmission will be determined by the Board of Studies for Dentistry in accordance with the criteria and procedures set out in the Withdrawal and Readmission Guidelines.
   3. Permanent withdrawal from programme

   Students who withdraw permanently (including students who withdraw without prior approval and students who fail to communicate their intentions within 12 months of when they were last enrolled) are not normally considered for readmission.

8. Exclusion from the Programme

   1. A student may be excluded from the Bachelor of Dental Technology programme by the Academic Board for the Division of Health Sciences on the recommendation of the Board of Studies for Dentistry on the basis of repeated academic failure and/or other grounds as detailed in regulation 8(c).
   2. A student who fails to complete the requirements for any year of the programme (other than Health Sciences First Year) may enrol again, but this concession may normally be granted only once in the programme.
   3. A student may be excluded from the programme who, during the course of their studies, is
      1. subject to criminal charges;
      2. subject to disciplinary proceedings of the University or of a professional body; or
      3. found to have an issue (whether in connection with their mental or physical health, or their professional attributes or conduct, or otherwise) that compromises or is likely to compromise their fitness to practise;  or
      4. found to have failed to declare a matter covered by (c)(i)-(iii).

9. Variations

   On the recommendation of the Faculty, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Health Sciences) may, in exceptional circumstances, approve a course of study which does not comply with these regulations.

   Notes:
   (i) The due date for applications for first enrolment in the programme is 15 September in the year preceding that in which the programme is to be commenced. Late applications may be considered.
   (ii) Students who have passed CHEM 191 and/or PHSI 191 will not be required to repeat those papers. Those who have passed approved equivalents may be eligible for exemption from CHEM 191 and/or PHSI 191. Students who are not required to take CHEM 191 and/or PHSI 191 will normally be recommended to take additional approved papers.