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100+ Free ADC Written (Dental Therapy) Practice Questions
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A therapist is determining recall intervals. A low-caries-risk, periodontally stable adult with good oral hygiene would most appropriately be recalled:
A
B
C
D
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Sample ADC Written (Dental Therapy) Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your ADC Written (Dental Therapy) exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1A dental therapist in Australia is asked by a parent to extract a permanent first molar in a healthy 9-year-old. The therapist last performed an extraction during clinical training two years ago and has not maintained competence. What is the most appropriate action under the Dental Board of Australia's recency-of-practice and scope expectations?
A.Ask the supervising dentist to watch while the therapist proceeds without further preparation
B.Perform the extraction, since deciduous and permanent extractions fall within the dental therapy scope
C.Decline and refer the patient, as practitioners must only provide care for which they have maintained competence and currency
D.Provide the service because the parent has given verbal consent
Explanation: The Dental Board of Australia requires practitioners to work within their individual competence and maintain recency of practice for the procedures they perform. A therapist who has not maintained extraction competence must decline and refer, even where the procedure is within the registered scope. Scope of practice is a ceiling, not a guarantee of individual competence.
2Under the AHPRA mandatory notification provisions, a dental therapist must make a mandatory notification about another registered health practitioner in which of the following situations?
A.The practitioner practised while intoxicated by alcohol, placing the public at risk of substantial harm
B.The practitioner placed a single restoration with a minor marginal overhang
C.The practitioner used a different but accepted technique for a stainless steel crown
D.The practitioner charged a fee the therapist considered too high
Explanation: Mandatory notifications are required when a practitioner places the public at risk of substantial harm, including practising while intoxicated, sexual misconduct, significant departure from accepted standards, or impairment. Practising under the influence of alcohol meets the threshold for a notifiable conduct.
3A 7-year-old Aboriginal child attends with their grandmother for the first time. To provide culturally safe care consistent with the ADC professional competencies, the therapist should primarily:
A.Assume the family will not engage and limit the appointment to a quick examination
B.Use only written health information to avoid taking up appointment time
C.Insist that only a parent, not a grandmother, can consent to any care
D.Build rapport, respect the family's knowledge and decision-making, and adapt communication to be respectful and inclusive
Explanation: Cultural safety is an explicit ADC competency domain. It requires respecting the patient's and family's knowledge, building trust, and adapting communication to be inclusive and non-discriminatory. Care that is culturally safe improves engagement and health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
4A dental therapist realises after a child's appointment that a fissure sealant was placed on the wrong tooth, with no harm caused. In line with the duty of open disclosure expected of registered practitioners in Australia, the therapist should:
A.Say nothing because no harm occurred
B.Inform the parent of what happened, explain the implications, and document the discussion
C.Quietly remove the sealant at the next visit without explanation
D.Ask reception to alter the clinical notes to omit the error
Explanation: Open disclosure is a professional and ethical obligation in Australian healthcare. Even when no harm results, the practitioner should inform the patient or guardian, explain what happened, and document the conversation honestly. Transparency maintains trust and meets the Dental Board's code of conduct.
5When obtaining valid consent to apply silver fluoride (silver diamine fluoride) to carious deciduous teeth in a 4-year-old, the therapist must specifically advise the parent that:
A.The treatment is painless and has no visible effect
B.The teeth will become whiter after application
C.Arrested carious lesions will turn black/dark and this staining is permanent on the affected tooth structure
D.No follow-up is ever required once applied
Explanation: Valid consent requires disclosure of material risks and outcomes. Silver fluoride arrests caries but stains the arrested carious dentine black, an effect the parent must understand and accept before treatment. Failing to disclose this foreseeable cosmetic outcome invalidates consent.
6A dental therapist observes clinical signs strongly suggestive of child dental neglect and possible abuse in a 6-year-old. Under Australian child protection obligations, the most appropriate first step is to:
A.Ignore it unless the child discloses abuse directly
B.Confront the parent with an accusation in the waiting room
C.Refuse to treat the child and discharge them from the practice
D.Document objective findings carefully and make a report to the relevant child protection authority according to jurisdictional requirements
Explanation: Dental practitioners are well placed to detect signs of child maltreatment and have a professional and, in many jurisdictions, legal responsibility to report concerns. The correct approach is careful objective documentation and a report to the appropriate child protection service, not accusation or abandonment.
7Which statement best reflects the relationship between a dental therapist and a dentist under contemporary Australian regulation, following the removal of the structured supervision requirement by the Dental Board?
A.A therapist practises within their education, training and competence, using collaborative/referral relationships with dentists as needed for the patient
B.A therapist may only ever work in the physical presence of a dentist
C.A therapist may independently perform any procedure a dentist can perform
D.A therapist must obtain written dentist sign-off for every individual patient before treatment
Explanation: The Dental Board of Australia removed mandatory structured supervision; therapists now practise within their scope, education and competence using professional collaborative and referral relationships. This is patient-centred and risk-based rather than requiring constant dentist presence or per-patient sign-off.
8A 16-year-old attends alone and requests fissure sealants, demonstrating a clear understanding of the procedure, benefits and risks. With respect to consent for this mature minor in Australia, the therapist should:
A.Always refuse care to anyone under 18 without a parent present
B.Assess the young person's capacity (Gillick competence) and, if competent for this low-risk procedure, may proceed with their consent
C.Telephone the parent and treat only if the parent verbally agrees, regardless of the minor's capacity
D.Treat without any consent because sealants are preventive
Explanation: Australian law recognises the mature-minor (Gillick) principle: a young person with sufficient maturity and understanding can consent to their own care. For a low-risk preventive procedure such as fissure sealants, a competent 16-year-old can provide valid consent.
9Under the Privacy and health records obligations applying to Australian dental practices, a parent of an 8-year-old requests a copy of the child's dental record. The therapist should generally:
A.Refuse all access to records as they are confidential
B.Email the full record to anyone who asks for it
C.Only release records to another dentist, never to a parent
D.Provide access to the parent as the child's legal guardian, in accordance with privacy legislation and practice policy
Explanation: Parents or legal guardians acting in the best interests of a young child generally have a right to access the child's health information under Australian privacy law. Access should follow the practice's privacy policy and verify identity and guardianship.
10A dental therapist wishes to advertise their services online. Under the Dental Board of Australia's advertising guidelines, which of the following is NOT permitted?
A.Listing the services offered and their fees
B.Stating the practitioner's registration type and qualifications accurately
C.Using patient testimonials that review the clinical care provided
D.Providing oral health education content
Explanation: The National Law prohibits the use of testimonials about the clinical aspects of regulated health services in advertising. Advertising must not be false, misleading, or create unreasonable expectations of benefit. Accurate service listings, qualifications and educational content are acceptable.
About the ADC Written (Dental Therapy) Practice Questions
Verified exam format metadata for ADC Written Examination — Dental Therapy is pending. The practice questions above remain available while official exam length, timing, passing score, fee, and administrator details are reviewed.