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What's New
 
Guidance and Policy Changes
 
  • DCNZ Fees 2010/2011 year
     
    At the February 2010 meeting, Council approved new and updated fees to take effect from 1 April 2010.
     
    The Annual Practising Certificate (APC) fees as published in the December 2009 edition of DCNZ News are unchanged and will be gazetted to be effective in the 2010/11 year.
     
    The fees can be viewed on the Schedule of Fees page.
     
     
  • Continuing Professional Development Returns
     
    The Continuing Professional Development (CPD) cycle for dental therapists, hygienists, orthodontic auxiliaries, dental technicians and clinical dental technicians ended on 31 December 2009. Further information relating to CPD can be found on the page Continuing Professional Development.
     
    If you have not yet submitted your CPD activity summary to the Dental Council, download and complete this form and attach it to your APC application.
     
     
  • Code of practice on the working relationship between orthodontic auxiliaries and dentists
     
    Following consultation with stakeholders, the Dental Council has approved a revised code of practice on the working relationship between orthodontic auxiliaries and dentists. The aim of the code is to describe the general functions and levels of supervision required by orthodontic auxiliaries and assist practitioners to understand the requirements of orthodontic auxiliary practice.
    Please refer to Codes of Practice and Council Statements for further details.
     
     
  • NZDREX Candidates
     
    The application forms for assssment of eligibility to enrol in the NZDREX OTDP Written examination are currently unavailable due to recent Council policy changes. The revised application forms will be available from the 12th March 2010.
     
     
  • Policy on Annual Practising Certificate (APC) fees
     
    Council has updated the Policy on Annual Practising Certificate (APC) fees effective from 1 April 2010.
     
     
  • Continuing Professional Development Policy
     
    In December 2008, the Dental Council invited all oral health practitioners, associations and continuiing professional development (CPD) providers and verifiers to comment on a draft CPD policy.
     
    From the consultation feedback received, the following changes were made to the CPD policy:
     
    • Removal of the recording of non-verifiable CPD activities for all practitioner groups from 1 January 2009.
    • Aligning the recertification with calendar years instead of financial years with effect from 1 January 2009.
    • Renaming of 'peer group' to 'study group'.
    • Adoption of a revised CPD record template.
     
    Following the consultation period, it was clear that a number of CPD-related matters required further consultation, in particular:
     
    • whether dental therapists are required to complete a clinical appraisal
    • the number of CPD hours required for each practitioner group
    • the length of CPD cycle
    • the value of the peer contact activities and the CPD providers' role in recording this
    • the length of time it takes to process turn around a Board-approved CPD application.
     
    The Council asked its Professional Boards to work in consultation with the relevant professional associations to resolve these outstanding matters. In consideration of the consultation feedback received, the Council has resolved that:
     
    • practice appraisal as part of the recertification process for Dental Therapists will be removed
    • the recertification cycle for each practitioner group will be four years and staggered
    • the number of CPD hours required for each practitioner group (over a four-year recertification cycle) will be as follows:
       
      Practitioner Group CPD Hours per Recertification Cycle
      Dentists/Dental Specialists 80
      Dental Hygienists 60
      Dental Therapists 60
      Orthodontic Auxiliaries 30
      Dental Technicians 40
      Clinical Dental Technicians 60
       
    • CPD providers must specify whether or not a CPD activity qualifies as a peer contact activity
    • the length of time it takes to process a Board approved CPD application will be 8 weeks
     
    The revised Continuing Professional Development Activities Policy becomes effective from 1 January 2010.
     
     
  • New Zealand Conditions of Practice (NZCOP) Examination Removed
     
    Following consultation, the Council has removed the requirement for candidates to gain a pass in the New Zealand Conditions of Practice (NZCOP) Open Book Examination as part of a prescribed qualification for all dentist scopes of practice. Prospective registrants are required to complete a statutory declaration declaring that they have read and understood the content of the NZCOP resource book. The Dental Council considers that the statutory declaration is equally as robust as the open-book examination. The requirement to provide a statutory declaration streamlines the process with less time, cost and resource implications.
     
     
  • Important Notice to Candidates for the New Zealand Dental Registration Examinations
     
    The following Policy applies with immediate effect to all candidates who, for the first time, send the Dental Council of New Zealand a form for Assessment of Eligibility for Enrolment in the New Zealand Dental Registration Examination (includes Dentists, Hygienists, Therapists, and Technicians):
     
    'No candidate for the New Zealand Dental Registration Examinations ("NZDREX") shall be permitted more than three failed attempts in total to pass the NZDREX (whether the failed attempts are in respect of the written part or the clinical part of NZDREX). Partial passes in the clinical part of NZDREX are no longer permitted.'
     
    The Policy overrides anything to the contrary appearing on this website or in any document appearing on it. There are no exceptions.
     
     
  • 2009 Graduates
     
    New Zealand graduates registering for the first time must complete the appropriate application form and send all relevant documents and fee payment to the Dental Council.
     
    To locate the appropriate application form click Graduate forms.
     
    Graduates Checklist
     
    - Completed application form for registration including signature
    - Current hepatitis B and C laboratory report (must be less than 6 months old)
    - Fee payment
    - Passport sized photo
    - Certified copies from the relevant identification pages of your passport (overseas citizens) or drivers license (NZ citizens only).
     
    The DCNZ will process your completed application within 5 working days provided all relevant documentation and payment have been included with your application.
     
News and Events
 
Publications
 
  • DCNZ News - December 2009
    DCNZ Annual Plan and Draft Budget for the 2010/2011 year | Continuing Professional Development Policy | A New Graduate's Perspective | Streamlining the Registration and Examination Process | APC Renewal | Consultation | Continuing Professional Development Cycle Ends
     
  • DCNZ Annual Report 2009 (1Mb)
    DCNZ is pleased to submit this report for the year ended 31 March 2009. This report is presented in accordance with section 134 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003.
    8 September, 2009
     
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