Under the Legislation Act 2019, notice is given of the making of the following secondary legislation:

This secondary legislation can be accessed at: https://dcnz.org.nz/resources-and-publications/resources/gazette-notices/.

The following replaces the prescribed qualifications for the scope of practice for endodontic specialists as published in the New Zealand Gazette, 19 January 2023, Notice No. 2023-sl75. The scope of practice and competencies for endodontic specialists as published in the New Zealand Gazette, 19 January 2023, Notice No. 2023-sl75 remain unchanged.

Prescribed Qualifications for the Scope of Practice for Endodontic Specialists

New Zealand Accredited Programmes

• MDS (Endodontics) University of Otago¹.
• DClinDent (Endodontics) University of Otago.

Competent Authority – Qualification

Australia

• An ADC accredited MDS or MDSc or DClinDent programme in endodontics².
• An Australian educational institution specialist qualification approved by the Dental Board of Australia for the purposes of specialist registration in endodontics in Australia³.

Examination

• Two years or more of full-time equivalent postgraduate endondontic specialist qualification, evidence of research activity and a pass in the New Zealand Dental Specialist Registration Examination.

Competent Authority – Registration⁴ (from 1 November 2026)

• Current full/unrestricted/unconditional registration appropriate for practice as an endodontic specialist with one or more competent authority(s) recognised by the Dental Council⁵; and
• Clinical practice⁶ in specialist endodontics in one or more of the recognised competent authority(s) for at least 24 months (working 20 hours or more per week) in the past five years, including 12 months within the 18 months immediately prior to application.

Dated at Wellington this 31st day of March 2026.

MARIE MACKAY, Chief Executive, Dental Council.

Endnotes

1. Accreditation expired.

2. Before 30 June 2010, and before 17 October 2010 for Western Australia.

3. From 1 July 2010 onwards, and 18 October 2010 onwards for Western Australia.

4. Upon commencement of practice in New Zealand, practitioners registered under the competent authority registration pathway will practise under the oversight of a Dental Council approved practitioner for a period of at least six months under the terms of the oversight protocol.

5. United Kingdom (General Dental Council), Canada (provincial dental regulators), United States of America (state dental boards), Australia (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) for the purposes of endodontic specialist practice.

6. Clinical practice means the maintenance of health through the assessment, diagnosis, management, treatment, and prevention of any disease, disorder or condition of the orofacial complex and associated structures.