Guidelines for Admission
Application for Admission to Health Sciences Professional Programmes for 2009

Dental Technology
Oral Health

Table of Contents

1. APPLICATION PROCESS 2009
   1. How to apply
   2. Application Closing Date
   3. Enrolment/Registration
   4. Entry Requirements
   5. Declaration Form
   6. Curriculum Vitae
   7. Statements of Interest
   8. First Aid Certificate
   9. Hepatitis B and C
   10. Witnessed Documents
   11. Citizenship
   12. International Applicants
   13. Māori and New Zealand Resident Pacific Island Applicants
   14. Health and Disabilities
   15. Criminal Offences
   16. Practising in New Zealand
   17. Culturally-Sensitive Issues
   18. Confirmation of Receipt of Application
   19. Outcome of Application
   20. Accepting or Declining Offers
   21. What is the Waiting List?
   22. Important Dates
2. DISCLAIMER
3. INFORMATION FOR INTENDING STUDENTS REGARDING HEPATITIS AND HIV-AIDS
4. CHECKLIST

1 Application Process 2009

1.1 How to apply
You must complete an application form on-line at: www.otago.ac.nz/healthsciences

You may apply for more than one programme. Each programme has a separate Admissions Committee; all applications are assessed independently.

1.2 Application Closing Date
The on-line application form, declarations and other required documentation MUST reach the Health Sciences Admissions Office by 1 November 2008, 5pm NZST. Late applications may be considered in exceptional circumstances.

1.3 Enrolment/Registration

• ALL applicants must enrol/register at the University of Otago.
• Transferring – If you have previously studied at another university in New Zealand and have not previously studied at the University of Otago: Closing Date 10 December 2008.
• Returning – If you have previously studied at the University of Otago: Closing date 15 January 2009.
• New students - If you have studied at university before: Closing Date 10 December 2008
• For enrolment details visit www.otago.ac.nz, email university@otago.ac.nz or phone 0800 80 80 98 (within NZ) or 0064 3 479 7000.

1.4 Entry Requirements
To be eligible to enter the University (and therefore the programme) students must have satisfied the University’s admission requirements as stated in the University Calendar (i.e. gained an entrance qualification based on NCEA level 3 results or equivalent). No student will be admitted to the programme without meeting admission requirements. All enrolments to the Bachelor of Dental Technology and Bachelor of Oral Health degree programme are subject to the approval of the Faculty of Dentistry, Undergraduate Studies Committee. To gain entry to the programme applicants must satisfy the following selection criteria:

Applicants for the Bachelor of Oral Health will be selected on the basis of having met the following criteria:

1. Fulfilled the University of Otago entrance requirements by the time classes commence
2. Have attained a satisfactory level in NCEA level 2 Biology and NCEA Level 2 English or NZQA recognised equivalent, or
3. Undertaken previous university study at a standard determined by the Faculty of Dentistry, Undergraduate Studies (Oral Health Committee), or
4. Be over the age of 20 years at the commencement of classes, have experience in a health-related field and have passed the equivalent of NCEA level 2 Biology with the last five years.

Applicants for the Bachelor of Dental Technology will be selected on the basis of having met the following criteria:

1. Fulfilled the University of Otago entrance requirements by the time classes commence
2. Have attained a satisfactory level in NCEA level 3 Chemistry or a NZQA recognised alternative. Experience in Physics and Biology is advantageous, or
3. Undertaken previous university study at a standard determined by the Faculty of Dentistry, Undergraduate Studies (Dental Technology Committee), or
4. Be over the age of 20 years at the commencement of classes, have experience in a health-related field and have passed the equivalent of NCEA level 3 Chemistry within the last five years.

1.5 Declaration Form
Downloaded from the web (www.otago.ac.nz/healthsciences). Complete, sign and date the three parts: Health and Disability Declaration, Convictions Declaration and Student Declaration. You must sign the appropriate declarations yourself; no-one else may sign for you.

1.6 Curriculum Vitae
A brief curriculum vitae must accompany your application. Include in your CV details of your previous work experience and a summary of your employment record with your employer’s name and address, position held and length of employment (Otago Careers Advisory).

1.7 Statements of Interest
You must include a brief statement (no more than 600 words) explaining why you wish to pursue the course of study you have selected. This must be handwritten on the form which is downloadable from the web (www.otago.ac.nz/healthsciences).

1.8 First Aid Certificate
Before beginning classes, all students must have a current First Aid Certificate. All applicants offered a place in a programme must provide a certified copy of their First Aid Certificate when they accept the place. Applicants should have gained this qualification through a registered training organisation and it should meet at least NZQA standard 6401 (the St John Community First Aid Certificate meets this standard). Information regarding how to gain a First Aid Eradicate may be found on the following websites: www.stjohn.org.nz and www.redcross.org.nz

1.9 Hepatitis B and C
All students applying for entry must supply evidence of their immune status for Hepatitis B and C (see below).

1.10 Witnessed Documents
Where you are asked to provide documentation of academic achievement, birth certificates, citizenship and so forth, please do not send originals. Photocopies, which are suitably certified as copies of the originals, are to be sent. The following may witness documents as true copies of the originals: Justice of the Peace, Solicitor, Kaumatua, District or High Court Official, Notary Public, School Principal, Guidance Counsellor or Careers Adviser (if you are still at school), University Administrative Staff or Liaison Officers of any University.

1.11 Citizenship
Applicants who are New Zealand or Australian citizens must provide certified copies of their birth certificate or citizenship certificate. Applicants who are not New Zealand or Australian citizens must provide certified copies of their permanent resident status. We require a Residence Permit, not a Residence Visa. Applications will not be processed unless satisfactory proof of residence status is provided.

1.12 International Applicants
A limited number of places may be offered to applicants who are not New Zealand or Australian citizens or permanent residents who are sponsored through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, their own government or who are full fee paying, privately sponsored overseas students. International applicants must have completed all necessary prerequisites to a minimum standard to be determined from year to year. Such applications should be obtained and submitted through the International Office, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand. Email: international.admissions@otago.ac.nz.

1.13 Māori and New Zealand Resident Pacific Island Applicants
The Division of Health Sciences wishes to attract such candidates because Māori and Polynesian health professionals contribute to Māori and Polynesian health and have a significant role to play in the delivery of health care to their people. Therefore students who are of Māori or Polynesian origins may have this fact taken into consideration along with their application by completing Form A or Form B (download from web: www.otago.ac.nz/healthsciences).

1.14 Health and Disabilities
Applicants with a health condition and/or disability that may affect whether they are able to meet the requirements of a programme or obtain professional registration should contact the Health Sciences Admissions Office or the University’s Manager of Disability Information and Support – www.otago.ac.nz/disabilities.

Health conditions include:

• Physical conditions
• Mental conditions
• Psychological conditions

1.15 Criminal Offences
Applicants who have been charged with a criminal offence (including drink driving) must inform the Health Sciences Admissions Office. As some convictions may prohibit registration applicants are advised to consult the regulations of the appropriate registering professional body: www.dcnz.org.nz or inquiries@dcnz.org.nz

1.16 Practising in New Zealand
To register with the Dental Council of New Zealand to practice Dental Hygiene or Dental Therapy in New Zealand all applicants whose first language is not English and who have not completed a minimum of three years secondary schooling in English will be required to satisfy the English language requirements of the Council as follows:

• IELTS score of 7.5 in the academic module (with no individual band below 7.0)
• Occupational English Test (OET) with a B pass or higher in each of the four components For further information contact the Dental Council of New Zealand www.dcnz.org.nz or inquiries@dcnz.org.nz

1.17 Culturally Sensitive Issues
Students are required to participate in all laboratory, practical and clinical sessions including some activities that may not be usual in their culture. Some aspects of the teaching will require individuals to practise certain techniques on each other. Training is done under close supervision and all students are required to participate, as it is essential for their acquisition of clinical skills. Acceptance of any offer is an unconditional agreement to fully participate in these activities.

1.18 Confirmation of Receipt of Application
Applicants submit an on-line application form and automatically receive an email confirming receipt of application. This confirmation email will contain all details submitted and give you an application number. Once submitted, your details cannot be viewed or modified. However, if any information is incorrect or needs to be changed please contact the Health Sciences Admissions Office and quote your application number.

If you do not receive a confirmation email within 24 hours, please contact the Health Sciences Admissions Office.

IMPORTANT: Some free email accounts such as Hotmail and Yahoo may delete our emails as spam. We strongly recommend that you use your current University email account (if applicable) or another trusted email address to ensure that the email confirming receipt of your application reaches you.

The Division of Health Sciences will not be held responsible for any communication problems because of failure to provide an appropriate email address.

1.19 Outcome of Application
You will be advised of the outcome of your application by email no later than 11pm (NZST) on Tuesday 23 December 2008.

In order to ensure that the outcome of your application reaches you, your application form must include an email address that you will have access to around this time. The Division of Health Sciences will not be held responsible for any communication problems because of failure to provide an appropriate email address.

Given the short time frame between the release of examination results and Christmas, the Health Sciences Admissions Office will be extremely busy processing applications to ensure the outcome can be emailed out by 23 December 2008. Therefore, telephone calls to the Health Sciences Admissions Office will not be answered from 15 December 2008 – 7 January 2009.

However, if you have a question regarding your application, you are able to contact us by:

Health Sciences Admissions Office
Fax: 0064 3 479 5058
Email: healthsciences.admissions2009@otago.ac.nz
Postal: Health Sciences Admissions Office
P O Box 647
Dunedin 9054
New Zealand

All correspondence must include your application number.

The Health Sciences Admissions Office will be closed from 23 December 2008 – 5 January 2009.

1.20 Accepting or Declining Offers
Your Outcome of Application email will tell you:

1. if you have been offered a place
2. if your application has been declined or
3. if you are on a waiting list for one or more of the professional programmes.

To accept your offer(s) you must complete an on-line Response to Offer form. Details of how to access and complete this form will be included in your Outcome of Application email. Even if you do not wish to accept any offer made to you, you must still complete the on-line Response to Offer form.

The deadline for accepting or declining offer(s) to professional programmes for 2009 is 5pm (NZST) Wednesday 14th January 2009.

Please think carefully before making your decision; once you have declined an offer(s) there is no opportunity to have the offer(s) reinstated after 5pm (NZST) Wednesday 14th January 2009.

1.21 What is the Waiting List?
If your Outcome of Application email indicates that you have been placed on the waiting list for a particular programme you will be contacted should a place in that programme become available subsequently. Waiting Lists are programme-specific and you may not ask to be included on any programme waiting list other than the one(s) specified in your email. You can be offered a place from a waiting list right up to the time classes begin. Therefore, you must make sure that you continue your enrolment process for an alternative programme of study. You will be contacted by email shortly after 31 March 2009 to advise you when the waiting lists have officially closed.

1.22 Important Dates

• On-line application closing date 1 November 2008
• University of Otago Enrolment Deadlines
• Transferring: 10 December 2008
• Returning: 15 January 2009
• New: 10 December 2008
• Outcome of Application emails sent out on 23 December 2008
• Accepting or declining places 14 January 2009
• Health Sciences Admissions Office closed from 23 December 2008 – 7 January 2009.

Don't forget you must apply for Dental Technology and/or Oral Health (this process) as well as enrol/register with the university (see above)

2nd year commencement dates:

• Dental Technology: 25 February 2009
• Oral Health: 27 February 2009

Students who fail to attend classes on the commencement date risk losing their place.

2 Disclaimer

The University of Otago makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information provided on its web pages. However the matters covered, including the availability and structure of courses, are subject to regular review and no warranty or representation can be provided regarding the accuracy of such information, and the University does not accept liability for any losses or damage arising directly or indirectly from reliance on the information.

While the University of Otago takes all due care in implementing the regulations, policies and procedures that relate to the admissions process, it reserves the right to correct any administrative errors that may occur.

3 Information for Intending Students regarding Hepatitis and HIV-AIDS

All students should supply evidence of their immunity status for hepatitis B and C at the time they apply for admission. You must have the necessary blood tests done in time to ensure the outcome can be submitted with your application. (This is a request for a current hepatitis status report from a registered medical practitioner; it is not a request for a letter advising that you have been vaccinated or tested).

Because of the nature of their practice, health professionals are required to take steps to ensure they neither acquire infections from their patients, nor transmit infections to patients. You are encouraged to discuss the content of this document with your medical practitioner.

Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B, a common and often serious disease, has a high prevalence in New Zealand. For this reason, the Council of the University has adopted, as part of its overall policy on transmissible major viral infections, recommendations about hepatitis B.

1. Students contemplating enrolling must know their immune status for hepatitis B before entering the course. As well, successful applicants may be re-tested early in their first year.
2. If you do not have this information, you must have the appropriate blood test. This test will indicate whether:
   1. You have never been infected with the hepatitis B virus and never been successfully vaccinated against hepatitis B. In this case your blood will be hepatitis B surface antigen negative and hepatitis B surface antibody negative; or
   2. You have been infected with hepatitis B and have eliminated the infection, or been successfully vaccinated against hepatitis B. Your blood will be hepatitis B surface antigen negative and hepatitis B surface antibody positive; or
   3. You have been infected with hepatitis B and have failed to eliminate the infection. Your blood will be hepatitis B surface antigen positive.

If results show you have never been infected or vaccinated, you are strongly advised to be vaccinated. The Student Health Service provides a vaccination programme to our students at minimum cost. If you are immune to hepatitis B you need only submit your test results with your application.

If you are infected with hepatitis B and you wish to apply for admission to the dental therapy, dental hygiene or dental technology courses, you will require to have further specialised tests. If these tests show that you have detectable levels of hepatitis B viral DNA in your blood that exceed the currently specified level you will not be admitted to the courses. If you have a low concentration of hepatitis B virus in your blood, you can be considered for admission but will be required to seek counselling from the University's Advisory Panel about the ways to minimise any risk of transmitting the infection during your clinical training and subsequent practice.

Hepatitis C
The University is reviewing the policy on admissions to Health Science courses of students who have chronic hepatitis C infection. In the interim, all students applying for admission must have a screening test for hepatitis C infection which, if positive, may mean that they must also have confirmatory testing for hepatitis C antibody and hepatitis C RNA.

HIV-AIDS
To summarise the current policy of the University, students who recognize they are at particular risk of HIV infection have a responsibility to be tested for HIV infection. Students who test positive should seek and act on expert advice on occupational matters which may affect them and their patients.

NOTE
The above is a statement of present University policy and is consistent with that of the Medical and Dental Councils of New Zealand, the Pharmaceutical Society and of the Hospitals in which students of this University may gain their clinical experience. However the University cannot guarantee that at some future time one or more of these bodies may alter its policy in regard to these matters. If this were to happen the University might no longer be able to guarantee an infected person access to clinical training, in order to complete the requirements of the course. If you need further information you may seek advice from the Admissions Office or the Associate Dean for Admissions (Dentistry).

4 Checklist

• Complete the Application Form online.
• All other information is to be submitted in hard copy to:
  • Health Sciences Admissions Office Division of Health Sciences University of Otago PO Box 647 DUNEDIN
• Declarations Form completed and signed.
• Evidence of New Zealand citizenship or permanent residence e.g. attach a certified copy of birth certificate or a certified copy of the front pages of your passport.
• Curriculum vitae
• Handwritten statement of interest.
• Made arrangements so that you will have a current first aid certificate to send in when you accept a place.
• Provided evidence of hepatitis B status and hepatitis C status.
• If of Māori descent provide a brief iwi endorsement.
• Certified documents of all qualifications, ensure Interim Result Notifications for all levels of NCEA are included along with the Records of Learning.
• Certified copies of tertiary academic records (transcripts). Copies of University of Otago records are not required.
• Certified copy of your IELTS result (if admission is based on qualifications gained outside New Zealand and your first language is not English or Mäori).