Charles Darwin University (CDU) will launch its first-ever Bachelor of Oral Health Therapy in 2026, building a local workforce to address critical shortages and expand access to dental care across the Northern Territory (NT).
The three-year program will train Oral Health Therapists (OHTs) - registered professionals dual-qualified in dental hygiene and dental therapy - who play a frontline role in preventive and restorative oral healthcare. OHTs deliver examinations, preventive treatments, restorations, periodontal care and oral health education, partnering with dentists to ensure comprehensive and accessible dental services.
CDU Lecturer in Oral Health (School of Medicine - Faculty of Health), Natasha Lethorn, said the new program would build a homegrown workforce to meet the Territory's unique needs.
"At the moment, the Territory is reliant on oral health professionals trained interstate or overseas," Ms Lethorn said.
"CDU recognised this gap and designed an accredited program to train professionals who are mobile, flexible, and able to provide care in diverse settings - particularly in regional and remote communities."
A key feature of the program is its emphasis on mobile dentistry and service delivery in underserved communities, with a strong focus on improving health outcomes for First Nations peoples.
"This is all about improving oral health outcomes across the NT and creating real opportunities for First Nations students to study and work in a health discipline that directly benefits their communities," Ms Lethorn said.
The program has been developed with input from stakeholders, including NT Health, and will be supported by CDU's new purpose-built simulation and teaching clinics within the joint Australian Government-funded Centre for Better Health Futures.
Students will also gain hands-on experience through clinical placements across public and private practices, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs), and regional health services.
CDU Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty of Health, Professor Dominic Upton, said the program would deliver lasting change.
"Training oral health professionals right here in the NT will not only grow a skilled, culturally responsive workforce, it will transform community health outcomes for generations to come," Professor Upton said.
The first intake of 12 students will commence in Semester 1, 2026, doubling to 24 students from 2027.
Enrolments are now open for Semester 1, 2026.
