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Certificate III · national qualification

Certificate III in Dental Assisting

This course trains you to work alongside a dentist, handing over instruments, keeping the treatment area clean and looking after patients through their appointment.

Compare 17 providers
Illustration of a person working as dental Assistant
How long it takes
4 to 18 months
full time at TAFE NSW
What it costs
From $1,450
Subsidised at TAFE NSW, full fee up to $11,178
How you can study
Online, on campus, a mix or on the job
Includes a work placement
Main job
Dental Assistant
$63,000 median pay
Taught by
17 providers
Every state and territory

Is this course right for you?

What the Certificate III in Dental Assisting asks of you, and what you might want to check first.

It helps to have

  • an interest in helping people feel at ease
  • a careful and methodical approach to hygiene
  • good communication skills with patients and staff
  • an interest in dental care and how a practice runs

Before you start

There are no entry requirements for this qualification.

Where this course can take you

Jobs this qualification is a recognised route into, and the study that can follow it.

Jobs you can do with it

  • Dental Assistant

    Dental assistants work chairside with dentists during treatment and keep the surgery running safely between patients.

    What else you need

    Complete the required workplace hours and training; this is dental assistance, not hygienist or dentist registration.

    Median pay$63,000

If you study further

Pay is the median for everyone in the job, and “In demand” means the job is on the national shortage list. Pay marked as an estimate is our own analysis, not a published figure.

What it costs

Subsidised place

From $1,450

at TAFE NSW. Whether you get a subsidised place depends on your state, residency, age and earlier study.

Paying the full fee

$7,560 to $11,178

across the TAFEs listed below. Private providers set their own fees.

  • TAFE NSWNSW

    Subsidised
    $1,450
    Concession
    $240
    Full fee
    $9,830
    How long
    4 to 18 months

  • Chisholm InstituteVIC

    Subsidised
    $3,942
    Concession
    $789
    Full fee
    $10,956

  • Holmesglen InstituteVIC

    Subsidised
    $3,105
    Concession
    $621
    Full fee
    $11,178

  • TAFE QueenslandQLD

    Subsidised
    $3,640
    Concession
    $2,800
    Full fee
    $7,560

Fees as each TAFE shows them on its website, read 20 September 2026. Private providers set their own fees.

Where you can study this course

There are 17 places you can study this course. When you compare them, check they teach it the way you want to study, how far you'd be from a campus, what it will cost you and what past students say about the teaching and support. They're listed by how often people search for them, and none of them pays to be here or to move up.

What you’ll learn

10 units: 8 that everyone takes and 2 you choose.

  • Assisting at the chair
  • Infection prevention and control
  • Sterilising dental instruments
  • Dental radiography basics
  • Practice reception and records
  • Communicating with patients
See all 8 core units

Core units

Everyone completes these. Select a unit to see what it covers.

  • Loading the details for CHCCOM005…

Questions to ask before you enrol

Providers run this course differently, so the answers change from one to the next.

  1. When is the next intake, and how many are there each year?
  2. What is the total cost, including materials, checks and any placement costs?
  3. Can I study part time or online, and how does that change the length?
  4. Who arranges the work placement, and how many hours does it involve?
  5. Do the units count towards a higher qualification if I go on to study further?

Questions people ask

Who is this qualification for?

It prepares you to work alongside a dentist, handing over instruments, keeping the treatment area clean and looking after patients through their appointment. The role includes infection control, practice administration and supporting quality and professionalism in the dental sector.

Do I need experience or other qualifications first?

There are no entry requirements for this qualification. Individual providers can set their own conditions, so check with the provider you choose.

Is a licence, registration or check required to work in this area?

No occupational licencing, certification or specific legislative requirements apply to this qualification at the time of publication.

Related courses

The national training register, training.gov.au. TAFE course pages, read 20 September 2026. Google reviews. Pay and shortage status from Jobs and Skills Australia.