All dental practitioners must renew their registration with AHPRA by 30 November. Failing to do so, and continuing to practise, would mean you are practising unregistered – which can have severe consequences.

Be mindful that when you renew, you need to carefully read all the statements that you are agreeing to, as there have been some changes since last renewal, including:

I confirm that if I advertise my services or my business as a dental practitioner that advertising complies with section 133 of the National Law and the Board’s Advertising Guidelines as it:

• is not false, misleading or deceptive or likely to be misleading or deceptive
• does not offer a gift, discount or other inducement without stating the terms and conditions of the offer
• does not use testimonials or purported testimonials about the service or business
• does not create an unreasonable expectation of beneficial treatment, and
• does not directly or indirectly encourage the indiscriminate or unnecessary use of my services.

It may be prudent to double check your advertising and ensure that you are not making a false declaration, and AHPRA have an online tool available to enable you to do so.

One statement that can cause confusion is the query:

Have you previously disclosed to AHPRA all known complaints made about you?

If you are not aware of any complaints, simply tick N/A; if you have previously disclosed a complaint, then tick yes. If, however, you have received a formal complaint since your last renewal, then you will need to tick no, and enter the reference number of that complaint if prompted.

Please note, “all known complaints” refers to complaints to a regulator and does not include complaints by patients made directly to a practitioner or practice.

Finally, ensure that you read the last declaration thoroughly, to ensure that you are not making a false declaration. Common areas that trip practitioners up are:

 

• I am aware of my infection status for blood-borne viruses and I will comply with the Communicable Diseases Network Australia’s Australian National Guidelines for the Management of Health Care Workers known to be infected with Blood-Borne Viruses and with the requirements of the Board’s Infection Control Guidelines in relation to blood-borne viruses.    

It is an expectation that we are aware of our BBV status. If you are unsure, have had a needlestick since your last test, or it has simply been a while, it may be worth attending your GP to organise testing.

• I undertake to comply with all relevant legislation, Board registration standards, codes and guidelines.

It would be sensible to read all of the standards, codes and guidelines before renewing your registration.