COVID-19 update: Mandatory vaccinations for all dental practitioners and their staff

Message from the President

You will have noted that, in the recent December edition of the Dental Council of NSW’s Newsletter circulated on 15 December 2021, I referred to the omicron variant being at the forefront of our government/health officials’ minds.

I am now writing to advise all dental practitioners in NSW that, on 16 December 2021, the NSW Government announced its intention to revise its Public Health Order relating to mandatory vaccination requirements. This announcement states that from 31 January 2022 all primary care and other private sector health service providers are required to have had two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

This means that, regardless of whether you are practising as a dental practitioner in a private or public setting, you will be required to be vaccinated by 31 January 2022.  The planned change will also extend to staff in your practice. Dental practitioners should also note the recommended time intervals between vaccine doses.

The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) recommends mandatory vaccinations for all workers in healthcare settings in Australia as a condition of work.

Obligations for employers to take reasonable steps to ensure workers comply with these vaccination requirements, and for workers to provide evidence of vaccination will also apply. Workers will not be able to work in these settings, unless they are vaccinated or have a medical contraindication certified by a medical practitioner.

Further information to assist businesses and organisations to remain COVID safe is available on the NSW Health website.

As you will appreciate, mandatory vaccination requirements have been introduced to help protect practitioners; patients; other health staff, and the wider community.  We all have a responsibility, both from a professional and personal perspective, to ensure that we are protecting ourselves and those around us.

I encourage you all to keep abreast of the latest health advice regarding COVID-19, and this can be accessed via the NSW Health website.

Clinical Associate Professor F. Shane Fryer OAM
President, Dental Council of NSW