Oral Health Services Tasmania (OHST) has delivered the expanded service capacity through a $4 million investment into the graduate program, enabling the delivery of extra appointments.
Ten more dental graduates were welcomed to the successful graduate program last month as part of the 2026 graduate intake, providing a further boost to the State's oral health workforce following the commencement of 11 graduates in 2025.
Visiting the Southern Dental Centre in New Town, Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Bridget Archer, said the investment is helping Tasmanians access care sooner, and welcomed the newest oral health graduates to the Tasmanian health system.
"Oral Health Services Tasmania is on track to deliver 24,000 additional appointments by June 2026, surpassing the target of 20,000 additional appointments made at the 2024 State Election," Minister Archer said.
"I'd like to thank all our hard-working dentists and oral health therapists for reaching this target, including those in our successful oral health graduate program who have been central to delivering additional service capacity.
"I'm also delighted to welcome 10 new oral health graduates who have relocated to Tasmania from interstate and overseas to start their professional careers with OHST last month.
"The new graduate cohort will help to further improve access to oral health services for Tasmanians of all ages right across the State, with four to be based in the North West, three in Launceston, and three in Hobart.
"We are delivering for Tasmania by investing in the healthcare services people need, when and where they need it."
The graduate program supports early career professionals, providing structured clinical training.
Graduates will provide care across OHST's services, including emergency dental care, general dental care and denture clinics for adults, or dental care for children and adolescents.
