How Do You Become an Oral Medicine Specialist in Australia?
If you have been referred to an oral medicine specialist, or you are a dental student or dentist wondering what the field involves, you may be curious about how someone qualifies in this area. Oral medicine is one of the smaller and less familiar dental specialties, yet it sits at the meeting point of dentistry and medicine. The pathway to becoming a specialist is long and competitive, and understanding it explains a good deal about what these clinicians do.
What is an oral medicine specialist?
An oral medicine specialist is, in plain terms, the dental physician of the mouth. The field is concerned with the diagnosis and non-surgical management of diseases affecting the mouth, jaws and surrounding structures. That includes conditions of the oral lining such as ulcers and white or red patches, oral and face pain and jaw problems, salivary gland disorders, and the ways in which conditions elsewhere in the body show themselves in the mouth. Because so many general health conditions have oral signs, oral medicine works closely with medical specialties such as dermatology, rheumatology and ear, nose and throat surgery.
Is oral medicine a recognised specialty in Australia?
Yes. Oral medicine is one of the dental specialties formally recognised by the Dental Board of Australia. To use the title of specialist in oral medicine, a practitioner must hold specialist registration with the Board through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, known as AHPRA. That registration is what distinguishes a recognised specialist from a general dentist with an interest in the area.
Do you need to be a dentist or a doctor first?
You qualify as a dentist first. Oral medicine is a dental specialty, so the starting point is a dental degree and registration as a general dentist. This is different from oral and maxillofacial surgery, which is recognised by both the dental and medical boards and requires qualifications in both dentistry and medicine. Oral medicine does not require a separate medical degree, although some specialists do hold additional medical or research qualifications that reflect the strongly medical nature of the work.
What is the training pathway?
The journey is a staged one, and each stage has to be completed before the next can begin:
Complete a primary dental degree and register as a general dentist with the Dental Board of Australia
Work in general dental practice, with a minimum of two years required before specialist registration, though most applicants have considerably more experience given how competitive entry is
Gain a place in an accredited specialist training program, the Doctor of Clinical Dentistry in Oral Medicine, which runs for three years full-time
Complete the program, then apply for specialist registration with AHPRA to practise and be titled as a specialist in oral medicine
Added together, the path from beginning a dental degree to registering as a specialist usually takes around a decade.
Where can you study oral medicine in Australia?
The Doctor of Clinical Dentistry in Oral Medicine is offered at only a small number of universities, including the University of Western Australia, University of Sydney, University of Queensland and the University of Melbourne. Places are very limited, often only one or two per intake, and entry is highly competitive. Programs are accredited by the Australian Dental Council, and the Primary Examination of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons is commonly valued as part of a strong application.
What does the training actually involve?
The three years are demanding and broad. Trainees undertake advanced coursework in oral medicine, oral pathology and orofacial pain, treat complex patients under supervision in a teaching hospital setting, and complete a substantial research project that contributes to the evidence base of the field. Much of the clinical work is hospital-based and multidisciplinary, which is where the close relationship between oral medicine and medicine becomes part of everyday practice.
What is the role of the Oral Medicine Academy of Australasia?
The Oral Medicine Academy of Australasia, or OMAA, awards a Fellowship in oral medicine through examination, recognised by the post-nominal, FOMAA. Many specialists pursue these qualifications as a mark of the standard they have reached, and the Academy plays a significant role in postgraduate dental education and assessment in Australia and New Zealand.
Why does this matter for patients?
When you see an oral medicine specialist, you are seeing a clinician who has completed a dental degree, several years of general practice, and a further three years of full-time specialist training, and who is registered and regulated as a specialist. That depth of training is the reason persistent mouth ulcers, complex orofacial pain, unexplained oral lesions and the oral effects of general health conditions are referred to oral medicine. The field exists precisely for the problems that fall between the cracks of dentistry and medicine.
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IMPORTANT: This content is for general information purposes only. It does not constitute medical or dental advice. Readers should consult a qualified health professional regarding any personal health concerns.
