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Overseas Dentists
What do I need to do if I wish to practice in New Zealand?
To practice dentistry in New Zealand, you must be registered with the Dental Council of New Zealand and have an Annual Practising Certificate (APC).
You can apply for registration as a dentist if you have a prescribed qualification as defined by the Dental Council.
New Zealand
- Bachelor of Dental Surgery, University of Otago
Australia
- An Australian Dental Council (ADA) accredited programme
- A Dental Board of Australia approved programme of study providing a qualification for the purpose of registration in general dentistry in Australia
- A five-year undergraduate dental degree from an Australian Dental School and a pass in the Australian Dental Registration Examinations
General Dental Council accredited dental schools in the UK and Commonwealth countries
- A GDC accredited undergraduate dental degree from a GDC accredited dental school in the UK, or Commonwealth, as listed below:
USA or Canada
- A Commission on Dental Accreditation (CDA) accredited undergraduate dental degree from a CDA accredited dental school in the USA or Canada
- A five-year undergraduate dental degree and a pass in the USA licensing examinations
If your qualification is not prescribed, you can either;
- Sit the New Zealand Dental Registration Examination (NZDREX), done through the National Dental Examining Board of Canada
- Apply to have your overseas, non-prescribed qualifications, training and experience assessed
If you are registered in Australia, you can register in New Zealand in a similar scope of practice, under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act 1997.
Click here for more information.
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Research and Grants
Dental research strives to find better ways to prevent, identify and treat oral diseases. Researchers are engaged in the process of discovering new knowledge relating to oral health and ways to improve the oral health of the general public. As per our mission statement, one of the roles of NZDA is "to promote dental and allied sciences". Although the Association does not undertake research of its own, it promotes and funds for the continuation of dental research in New Zealand through the New Zealand Dental Research Foundation. The Foundation has been supported by donations from dentist members for over 50 years.
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NZ Dental Research Foundation
Established in May 1964, the New Zealand Dental Research Foundation awards grants for research projects related to dentistry. Its overall purpose is to "promote, foster and extend the study and practice of the art and science of dentistry in New Zealand".
To manage the operation of the Foundation, two complementary governance bodies have been established, a Trust and a Board. The Trust is responsible for the accumulation and investment of the capital of the Foundation, while the Board decides the expenditure on a variety of research activities.
The Foundation Board considers applications for funding to support new or ongoing projects, to purchase equipment, or for any other purpose that will result in the acquisition and/or dissemination of new knowledge relevant to dentistry. The Board annually invites applications for grants, assesses their quality with advice from national and international expert referees, ranks them and approves funding up to the level determined by that year's income transferred from the Foundation Trust.
Since its inception, the Foundation has provided financial support for hundreds of research projects related to dental and oral health, to help advance the boundaries of dental knowledge and to promote the fostering and extension of the study and practice of the art and science of dentistry in New Zealand. The number of awards offered varies each year and currently has an individual application ceiling of $15,000.
The New Zealand Dental Research Foundation Board also administers research funds on behalf of:
- The Ministry of Health, providing annual funding for New Zealand-specific research for community, university or practice-based research in fields related to oral health.
- The Medical Protection Society Foundation in support of leadership and well-being in the dental industry.
- The Continuing Dental Education Trust (Auckland) in support of community-based and oral health research in New Zealand with a focus on population health or clinical outcomes.
- The Dental Industry Group in support of clinical dental research in New Zealand.
Donations
Fund-raising for the Research Foundation commenced in 1964 with contributions made by the Association, dental practitioners, the dental supply industry and other businesses. In addition to on-going fund raising campaigns, the Research Foundation is supported through the NZDA Annual Conference, donating one third of its profits each second year to the Foundation. The Foundation also receives support through the continued generosity of NZDA members, providing annual donations with their membership subscriptions.
How can you help?
If you or your business would like to help us improve the oral health of New Zealanders by making a donation to dental research, please contact NZDA Director (Clinical Governance) or phone +64 9 579 8001.
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MoH Oral Health Research Fund
The Ministry of Health currently provides funding for New Zealand-specific research for community, university or practice-based research in fields related to oral health. The New Zealand Dental Research Foundation Board has been appointed by the Ministry to administer this Fund. The application assessment meeting for this funding is held mid- to late July each year in conjunction with the annual research awards from the Foundation.
The Ministry of Health Oral Health Research Fund will prioritise funding for:
Research, including, applied clinical, non-clinical, epidemiological, or operational research:
- Related to publicly funded services, in particular the Community Oral Health Service, Maori oral health services, adolescent dental services provided by private dentists under the Combined Dental Agreement, hospital dental services, DHB subsidised / supported basic or emergency oral health care for low-income populations, WINZ-funded oral health care, and Well Child / Tamariki Ora services
- Related to the reduction of inequalities in enrolment and service utilisation within publicly funded oral health services, and in child and adolescent oral health outcomes, particularly for Maori and Pacific children or adolescents
- Related to improvements in maternal oral health
- Related to service development and service innovation within publicly funded oral health services
- Related to oral health promotion at the personal health level (eg, tooth brushing programmes) and at the population level (eg, community water fluoridation).
- Related to diseases of the oral region in people of all ages with physical, intellectual, behavioural or cognitive disabilities, who are medically compromised and/or have higher prevalence in people experiencing inequalities in outcome (eg Māori, Pacific and low-income populations)
Evaluation and analysis of:
- Models of service delivery, potential new services within existing policy settings, or trials of new service arrangements
- Models of workforce development and training relevant to publicly funded oral health services
- Clinical practice and intervention programmes relevant to the reduction of inequalities in oral health outcomes.
Review and analysis of:
- International scientific and clinical literature relevant to publicly funded oral health services in New Zealand
- Community Oral Health Service data
- Confidentialised Unit Record File (CURF) datasets from the New Zealand Health Survey, the Oral Health Survey 2009, and other New Zealand survey datasets as they become available.
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Research Grant Recipients
2025 successful applicants who received funding from the Ministry of Health Oral Health Research Fund and the NZ Dental Research Foundation.
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Sir John Walsh Research Institute
The Sir John Walsh Research Institute has been recently established within the faculty of Dentistry at the University of Otago and provides a focus for dental research not only within New Zealand but also within the Pacific.
The Institute has produced its first research report and contains examples of exciting research that is having a large impact on the world of clinical dentistry, technology and oral health. We invite you to read this report which also provides information on your colleagues who have cast a wide net of collaborative research across Australasia and further afield.
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Community Service Grants
** temporarily ceased **
The New Zealand Dental Association (NZDA) is proud to announce the Mars Wrigley Foundation Community Service Grants programme. The programme encourages oral health professionals to design and implement oral health initiatives in high risk populations throughout New Zealand and Pacific Islands.
New Zealand
This year US$30,000 is available to go towards vital oral health programmes and projects across New Zealand. The grants programme is providing five grants to the value of USD$1,000 each, five grants to the value of US$3,000 each and one grant of USD$10,000.
5 x USD$1,000 for Oral Health Education Grants5 x USD$3,000 for Oral Health Education and Treatment Grants 1 x USD$10,000 for ‘Principles in Action’ Community Service Grant to help generate lasting change for a vulnerable and high-risk group
Pacific Islands
The Pacific Region Dental Aid Grant seeks to promote access to oral health education and treatment in the Pacific Islands, where the very high population-to-dentist ratio has created a virtually limitless need for dental aid. For the purpose of this programme, the Pacific Islands are defined as comprising New Guinea, New Caledonia, Torres Strait Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Micronesia, and Polynesia (the Hawaiian Islands, Rotuma, the Midway Islands, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, the Cook Islands, Wallis and Futuna, Tokelau, Niue, French Polynesia, and Easter Island).
This year the programme will provide one grant to the value of USD$5,000 to NZDA volunteer dentist(s) travelling to pacific region to provide aid work.
Selection Criteria
The Grant Review Panel will evaluate applications using unweighted criteria:
Significance - the extent to which the application meets the ‘Project Summary’ criteria and offers a creative approach to improving the target community’s oral care and oral health education.
Outcome measures - the extent to which the application sets specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time bound outcome measures.
Feasibility - the extent to which the application demonstrates a logical and sound planning process for implementing the project, follows a timeline appropriate to the goals and outcomes set to be achieved, and indicates long term sustainability once the grant is completed
Eligibility
Registered NZDA dentists and NZDA student members are eligible to apply. Applications can also be submitted by a member dentist on behalf of a cross-functional team of allied dental professionals.
Applications close 30 June 2023.
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Dental Treatment Aid Grants
ARCH/NZDA Dental Treatment Aid Grants for Low-income Adults
(Please note you must be an NZDA member dentist to apply)
In partnership with Aotearoa Charity Hospital, the New Zealand Dental Association has established a grants programme that provides subsidies for one full course of dental treatment for adults who hold a community services card. The programme relies on the voluntary participation of dentists and dental assistants who offer their time and expertise without receiving payment. The purpose of this initiative is to ensure that individuals who are financially disadvantaged and in need of dental treatment can receive the necessary care without incurring additional costs. The commitment of these volunteer dentists and their assistants allows for the provision of essential dental services to those who may not have been able to access them otherwise.
The fees assigned to any treatment will be as per the CDA fee schedule (being a fee more equal to covering fixed overhead and dental materials cost with no component for dentist remuneration).
No co-payment can be charged to the patient.
In summary, these grants allow the provision of free dental care, with no remuneration to the dentist/dental assistants for their time. The allocation of the grant money is to cover the cost of some expenses.
Available Grants
10 x $10,000.00 Grants
The number of patients treated by the grant funding will be relative to the needs of the selected patients but to a maximum of $1000 per patient.
Eligibility Criteria
All primary applicants must be NZDA dentists. The primary applicants are welcome and encouraged to be supported by other dentists, other oral health professionals and assisting staff. Non-NZDA members are not eligible to apply for the ARCH/NZDA - Dental Aid Grants. Applicants who have demonstrated dedication and integrity in past charitable work will be prioritised over others.
Application Process
Applicants will be invited to submit their application to the NZDA Oral Health Promotion Manager between 6 October and 6 December 2025 for funding allocation the following year.
Selection Process
Grant recipient selection will apply the following criteria:
- The applicants localised/ target population is in high need of the treatment.
- The applicant has a history of dedication and integrity in charitable work.
- The funds will be used in a cost-effective manner and will not be used to cover the labour of the dentists or their team involved.
- The applicants proposed reporting methods are adequate to measure the impact of the grant funds.
- The location of the dental practice and the area it serves will be considered to ensure there’s an equitable distribution across Aotearoa.
Contact Anishma Ram for more information about ARCH/NZDA Dental Treatment Aid Grants.
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NZDA-Clare Foundation Oral Health Education Grants
NZDA-Clare Foundation Oral Health Education Grants
The New Zealand Dental Association (NZDA), in partnership with the Clare Foundation, has launched the NZDA-Clare Foundation Oral Health Education Grants.
These grants provide funding for community-based oral health education projects that:
- Improve oral health literacy
- Reduce inequities in access to oral health education
- Empower communities to make informed oral health choices
The grants are designed to support locally led, culturally responsive, and sustainable education projects delivered by NZDA member dentists, in collaboration with oral health professionals, and community partners.
- Funding Available: 5 x $3,000 grants and 1 x $10,000 grant
- Application Period: 3 November 2025 to the 15 February 2026
- Project Utilisation Period: March to 30 June 2026
- Final Report Due: 31 July 2026
This programme builds on NZDA’s long-standing commitment to community service and reflects the Clare Foundation’s vision of creating lasting change.
About the Grants
1. $3,000 Community Oral Health Education GrantSupports small-scale, community-based projects that deliver oral health education within a single school, organisation, or local community. Enables grassroots initiatives that directly improve oral health knowledge and behaviours in a targeted setting.
2. $10,000 Principles in Action (PIA) Grants Supports larger-scale projects with the potential for regional or national impact. Projects must prioritise equity by focusing on Māori, Pasifika, disabled, and low-income communities, and demonstrate alignment with Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Applications for this (PIA) grant are assessed against six key criteria:
- Equity & Te Tiriti Alignment – clear focus on priority communities and partnership approaches
- Transformative Impact – capacity to create lasting change in oral health outcomes and behaviours
- Innovation – creative and culturally responsive approaches
- Sustainability – plan for continuation beyond initial funding
- Scalability – potential to expand across multiple settings with wider application
- Evaluation & Outcomes – clear objectives and framework for measuring success
Contact Anishma Ram for further information.
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Voluntary Dental Aid Grants
** temporarily ceased **
Financial support for NZDA members to enable community projects that aim to improve the oral health outcomes of high-risk communities within New Zealand and abroad.
Derived from the past NZDA International Aid Grants, a new grants programme has been developed to support NZDA members in providing dental aid to high needs communities in New Zealand and abroad, through the new ‘Voluntary Dental Aid Grants’. Projects supported through this programme will help to provide much needed dental care and health promotion to people who do not have access to basic dental resources. The total annual funding made available for voluntary dental aid is NZ$20,000 and is divided into grant categories.
Previous grant opportunities
- Up to $2,500 to support small to medium scale projects aimed to provide oral health promotion to high risk groups in New Zealand (two awarded)
- Up to $5,000 to support small to medium scale projects aimed to provide free oral health promotion and treatment to high risk groups in New Zealand (one awarded)
- Up to $5,000 grants for projects that aim to establish or promote improved access to oral health care and education for high risk communities in neighbouring countries of New Zealand (two awarded)
Eligibility
All main applicants must be NZDA members or students of Otago University School of Dentistry. The main applicants are welcome and encouraged to be supported by other dentists, other oral health professionals and assisting staff. Non-NZDA members are not eligible to apply for the NZDA Voluntary Dental Aid Grants and applications will not be considered.
How to apply
Applications will need to be submitted to the NZDA Oral Health Promotion Manager by 31 August for funding allocation the following year.
