The Royal Australian Army Dental Corps contributes to enhancing and maintaining the personnel component of ADF operation and support capabilities by delivering effective and appropriate dental practices and advice to strengthen the ADF, both on operations and in non-operational environments, and at all levels of the organisation. It achieves this through treatment, preventative, restorative and prosthetic, oral hygiene education and ongoing management of ADF personnel's dental health; and effectively managing the delivery of dental services to the ADF.

Army Dental Assistants belong to the Royal Australian Army Dental Corps (RAADC). The RAADC is responsible for providing dental health care to Australian Defence Force personnel. The dental care provided focuses on preventive measures to reduce the number of casualties in operations due to dental problems. The Corps is made up of highly trained professionals who are often called upon to work in field conditions, which their civilian counterparts would find daunting.

In both war and peace the Army's dental workers, provide staff for hospitals, support battalions and dental centres.

The Dental Assistant is a soldier highly skilled in dental procedures, who provides direct assistance to a Dental Officer, Dental Hygenist (civilian). Progression of Dental Assistants is to Senior Dental Assistant Dental Supervisor and Dental Manager.

• Provide chair-side assistance to Dental Officers and Dental Hygienists (civilian) as directed.
• Prepare dental restorative impression and therapeutic materials for use by the Dental Officer.
• Operate and maintain all dental surgery equipment as directed.
• Process, classify and mount intra-oral radiographs.
• Prepare, interpret and maintain patient records.
• Coordinate and maintain dental appointment system.
• Perform hygiene/sterilisation procedures for surgery, surgery instruments and equipment. Assist with accounting procedures for dental section stores, equipment and materiel.

The Pay Groups for this employment are:

• Den Asst Gde 1 PTE- Pay Group 2
  
  
• Den Asst Gde 2 PTE-CPL Pay Group 3
  
  
• Den Supervisor SGT Pay Group 4
  
  
• Den Manager WO2/1 Pay Group 5
  
  

Dental Assistants Course: 12 Weeks conducted at HMAS CERBERUS Westernport Victoria.

Dental Assistants are employed throughout Australia.

This category's courses meet the requirements for both civilian and military authorities and will make you eligible for:

• Certificate III in Dental Assisting is granted on being assessed as a competent Dental Assistant and to a proficient ARA Private.
• Certificate IV in Dental Assisting is granted on being assessed as a competent Senior Dental Assistant.

The specifications for the employment categories of the RAADC can be viewed at the Manual of Army Employments. (DefWeb only)

Royal Australian Army Dental Corps

The Pace Stick - The Royal Regiment of Artillery was the originator of the pace stick. It was used by gunners to ensure correct distances between guns on the battlefield, thus ensuring the appropriate effective fire. The original stick was more like a walking stick, with a silver or ivory knob. It could not be manipulated like the modern pace stick as it only opened like a pair of callipers; the infantry then developed the stick to its present configuration as an aid to drill.