Continuing Professional Development
Free CPD for Australian Dental Practitioners
Where to find continuing professional development at no cost, what the Dental Board actually requires, and how to keep records that survive an audit.
CPD does not have to be expensive. A meaningful share of the 60 hours you need can be accumulated at no cost through free course libraries, professional association webinars, manufacturer-sponsored education, and structured self-directed reading.
What the Dental Board requires
The Continuing Professional Development registration standard has been in effect since December 2015 and applies to dentists, dental specialists, dental hygienists, dental therapists, oral health therapists and dental prosthetists. Those holding non-practising registration, student registration, limited registration in the public interest, or limited registration to sit an examination are exempt.
The Board's guidelines specify that the majority of hours must relate to the clinical or scientific aspects of oral health care, with the remainder available for non-scientific activity such as practice management. Published summaries differ on the exact split, so read the current guidelines yourself rather than relying on any secondary source — including this page.
Points worth knowing
- Pro rata applies to new registrants — roughly 1.66 hours per month if you register partway through a cycle.
- Returning after two years or more away generally requires 40 hours in your first registration period.
- You must keep a logbook and produce it if audited. Your renewal declaration is binding.
- CPD need not sit within your usual scope. The Board explicitly permits study outside day-to-day practice, and specialists are not limited to their own specialty.
There is no accreditation system for CPD providers in Australia. No body approves individual courses, so responsibility for judging whether an activity is appropriate and defensible sits entirely with you. Look for clear educational objectives, credible presenters, and open disclosure of any commercial interest in products discussed.
Confirm all of this directly with the Dental Board of Australia CPD resources page, which holds the current standard, guidelines and fact sheet.
Where to find it
Broader than the name suggests: alongside aligner and sleep medicine content there are sessions on the 2017 periodontal classification, anterior and posterior composites, systematic interpretation of 2D radiographs, treatment of the worn dentition, laser dentistry, dental photography, CBCT and practice management. Free · account required Browse the library Coming soon 02 Manufacturer education Dentsply Sirona Academy Free continuing education for dentists, hygienists, dental assistants and lab technicians — webinars, self-paced courses and video modules, filterable by specialty. CPD points are granted where courses meet the relevant criteria. Free · account required View courses Coming soon 03 Professional association Australian Dental Association The federal body and each state branch run CPD programmes. A proportion of webinars, clinical update quizzes and online modules are included free with membership, and some events are open to non-members. Programmes differ considerably between branches, so start with your own state. Member access Visit the ADA Coming soon 04 Online quizzes ADA Victorian Branch — Online CPD Includes an Oral Cancer Learning Hub with an accompanying CPD quiz, and a Clinical Update online quiz offered free to members, each earning verifiable scientific CPD hours. Member access See what's available Coming soon 05 Risk management Dental Protection — Online Courses Short accredited online modules from ten minutes to two hours, focused on avoiding complaints and managing clinical risk. Free to members as part of indemnity cover. Member access View modules Coming soon 06 Course directory Dental CPD Courses A searchable listing of Australian courses showing cost, CPD hours, format and location. Several entries are listed at $0, including branch-run webinars. Sorting by cost is the fastest way to find free options near you. Free to browse Search courses Coming soon 07 Course calendar Dental CPD Australia A calendar of upcoming Australian professional development courses organised by date and by topic, with speaker information. Free to browse View calendar Coming soon 08 University UQ School of Dentistry Online and in-person CPD across all disciplines, delivered by clinical and academic staff, with certificates evidencing hours. Most courses are paid, but the mailing list surfaces free seminars. Other Australian dental schools run comparable programmes. Mixed pricing See programme Coming soon
A word on sponsored education. Manufacturer and industry-provided CPD is legitimate and often genuinely good, but note the commercial context in your own log. The Board expects providers to disclose any interest in the products discussed, and expects you to exercise judgement about the activity's value.
The free hours most people overlook
Structured self-directed activity counts, and it costs nothing. Provided you record it properly, all of the following are legitimate:
- Reading peer-reviewed literature with a documented purpose and reflection. Open-access journals and PubMed Central make this free — see the resources page for where to look.
- Reading current clinical guidelines and documenting how they changed your practice.
- Peer review activity, required at least once per cycle. A structured process in which practitioners review each other's clinical work — not an informal conversation over lunch.
- Teaching and presenting. Lecturing, tutoring students or presenting at a professional meeting counts.
- Practice-based audit — reviewing your own outcomes systematically against a standard.
Record keeping is where people come unstuck, not hours. For every activity log the date, provider, title, number of hours, whether it was scientific or non-scientific, and a line on what you took from it. Do it at the time. Reconstructing three years of CPD from memory during an audit is a miserable exercise, and certificates get lost.
Know a free CPD source that belongs here? Leave a comment or use the contact form. Links break and programmes change, so corrections are welcome.
Last reviewed: [August, 2026]. General information only, not advice on your own registration obligations. Verify all requirements directly with the Dental Board of Australia and Ahpra.