Competency-based structure hoped to help recruiting and retention to keep the smile on dentist’s faces. Photo by Cpl Belinda Mepham, Army newspaper

After years of declining numbers, ADF dental officers have a reason to smile. They now have a competency-based career and remuneration structure.

This follows the Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal’s (DFRT) deliberations on the ADF Dental Officers’ Career and Salary structures in May.

The milestone stems from the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) direction in 1998 to develop structures as support mechanisms for the management of certain specialist skill categories.
The COSC had directed that a structure was to be developed that was competency-based, capability-driven and with a rank overlay.

It would address problems that had been identified with rank blockage, recruiting, workforce planning, career development, remuneration and retention.

Greater emphasis on technical competency highlighted differences between typical professional skill structures and the traditional ADF rank hierarchy.

These principles could eventually be used for all officer categories.

The DFRT noted that the proposed structure provided a more appropriate and sustainable career structure and that the salaries proposed were justified on the value of the work.

The rank pyramid has given way to a competency structure with most dental officers in a large middle group of deployable officers, Competency Level 2, with small groups either side.

Those groups are the mentored Junior Dental Officers in Level 1 and the mentoring Senior Dental Officers in Level 3.
A small management level rounds out the structure.

Dental specialists are supported in the reserve structure in Competency Level 4.

Progression from one competency level to the next depends on achieving military and clinical skills as well as having a good military reporting history.

A Dental Officer Career and Professional Development Committee will review the progress of each dental officer and advise the single-service career managers when clinical milestones have been met.

It is hoped the structure will help to address the attraction, recruiting, development and retention problems that have recently affected the dental organisations of each service.

It will provide dental officers with a clear career map that addresses training and capability requirements.

While the transition to the new structure is underway, a Dental Auxiliary Career Structure is in the early phase of development.

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