10548NAT Graduate Diploma of Aesthetic Orthodontics
(Sequential Aligner Therapy) by Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Have the skills and knowledge?
You may be eligible to Graduate by RPL,
in as little as 4 months*

2019 Course now includes:
Course Description
The Postgraduate School of Dentistry’s 10548NAT Graduate Diploma of Aesthetic Orthodontics (Sequential Aligner Therapy) qualification will provide you with an armamentarium of practical skills and experience to produce world class facial aesthetic and orthodontic outcomes.



Written and assessed by Dr David Penn, (who has taught sequential aligner therapy to more than 1000 students since 2008) students will learn to treat patients with sequential aligner therapy and to utilise a range of innovative orthodontic and aesthetic techniques and devices. Students are personally mentored and supervised to ensure a meaningful educational experience that transcends into outstanding clinical skills.
This new and innovative course is 100% deliverable and assessable online. It has been designed to be fully flexible, self-paced and delivered through interactive and entertaining multi-media training units that can be completed in your own surgery, with your own patients and at your own speed!
Successful completion of the course qualifies students with the post nominals GradDipAesthOrtho(SAT) (Level 8 qualification on the AQF).
Fast track your government accredited qualification in as little as 4 months*
The Graduate Diploma of Aesthetic Orthodontics (SAT) qualification can be attained through a number of different pathways, including Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). The RPL process is an assessment of the evidence of your existing knowledge and skills in lieu of the standard training and assessment activities. A successful RPL application may result in credit towards part of, or the full GDAO qualification, with the Postgraduate School of Dentistry. This Australian Government Accredited Qualification can be obtained in as little as 4 months*.

RPL is a suitable pathway for general dentists or orthodontists with extensive clinical experience in sequential (clear) aligner therapy and/or prior qualifications (both formal and informal). In order for an RPL application to be successful, applicants must be able to provide substantial evidence of their clinical experience and/or prior education.
This Graduate Diploma has 8 units of study: we need you to provide sufficient evidence that you have knowledge, experience and clinical skills in any of these units to gain credit by RPL. If you have significant evidence but do not quite reach the benchmark, gap training activities can be offered to assist you to reach the standards.
To attain your qualification using RPL, you must demonstrate sufficient evidence in at least 4 units of study (you can of course apply for up to all 8 units by RPL). The other units can be studied in a classical manner (training and assessment) and can be done concurrently with your RPL application. This allows you to complete the Graduate Diploma in as little as 4 months*.
Take the Free Skills Assessment today to see if you are a suitable candidate for RPL!
Frequently Asked Questions
To read the FAQ’s about RPL, please click HERE!
Key Learning Outcomes
Summary
Graduates of this course will have advanced knowledge and skills for professional delivery of aesthetic orthodontics using sequential aligners.
Knowledge
Graduates of this course will have advanced clinical, theoretical and technical knowledge in the disciplines of aesthetics, orthodontics, practice management (relevant to sequential aligner therapy) which is principally delivered by sequential aligners.
Skills
Graduates of this course will have advanced clinical, cognitive, technical and communication skills to select and apply clinical treatments, methods and technologies to:
- analyse critically, evaluate and transform information to complete a range of clinical activities; and
- analyse, generate and transmit solutions to complex clinical problems; and
- transmit knowledge, skills and ideas to others including patients, staff and other dental healthcare professionals.
Study Mode
Fully flexible, self paced online learning with significant practical component.
Process and Timeline
- Free Skill Assessment: Students can take the Free Skills Assessment to determine their suitability for the RPL Pathway;
- Enrolment: Once deemed suitable, student enrols online into the 10548NAT Graduate Diploma of Aesthetic Orthodontics (Sequential Aligner Therapy) – by RPL & pays the enrolment fee;
- Application: Student will be provided with login details to the online RPL Application, Case Study Presentations and Knowledge Questions for completion;
- Document Review: by an Assessor to determine an gaps in Training;
- Learner Remediation Meeting: will take place to confirm all required skills and knowledge are in place;
- Results: Confirmation of Results communicated to the Student.
This unit provides dentists with knowledge of the fundamentals of sequential aligner therapy and the examination process in orthodontics in order to determine patient needs and to plan and monitor treatments. Areas include occlusion, malocclusion, aesthetics, the biology of tooth movement, case analysis, aetiology of orthodontic problems, how Sequential aligner therapy works, extra-oral and intraoral examination protocols and techniques as well as patient history and record taking.
This unit provides dentists with the knowledge in diagnosis and treatment planning for sequential aligner therapies. Dentists will be able to manage patient expectations, diagnose and treatment plan for patient cases ranging in complexity such as Class I and Class II malocclusions. Upon completion of this unit dentists will know what cases are unsuitable for sequential aligner therapy and when to refer cases.
This unit provides dentists with the knowledge and skills in aligner fit and attachments for sequential aligner therapy enabling them to deliver safe and effective Sequential Aligner Therapy (SAT) treatment. This includes the science and development of attachments, attachment types, clinical technique for attachments and troubleshooting during attachment placement. It also includes how to deliver aligners to the patient and educate them in aligner use and care.
This unit provides dentists with knowledge and skills in the methods of space formation during sequential aligner therapy. This includes rationale, calculations and modes of space formation, expansion with sequential aligners, interproximal reduction, dental proclination and distalisation, patient cases with extractions, alternative space forming methods and selection of the correct space creation method for various patient cases.
This unit provides dentists with the skills and knowledge to monitor sequential aligner therapy throughout the duration of treatment and to deal with any issues that arise. This includes protocols for monitoring treatment, dealing with poor patient compliance, failure of tooth movement, changing patient expectations, attachment failure, aligner failure and identification of cases that need to be restarted.
This unit provides dentists with knowledge and skills in providing patients with retention upon completion of sequential aligner therapy and dealing with cases of relapse of dentition. This includes the theory and development of orthodontic retention, fixed and removable retention, establishing retention protocols within the dental practice, dealing with relapse and the predictability of sequential aligner therapy.
This unit provides dentists with thorough knowledge of facial and dental aesthetics allowing them to provide patients with comprehensive aesthetic treatment plans for sequential aligner therapy. This includes an overview of aesthetics, facial analysis, normal and ideals, facial aesthetics, dental aesthetics, the history of sequential aligner therapies and variations in therapies.
Admission Requirements
To undertake the 10548NAT Graduate Diploma of Aesthetic Orthodontics (Sequential Aligner Therapy) individuals must have completed a dental undergraduate degree and be registered as a general dental practitioner or orthodontic specialist in the country in which they practice.
Essential Resources
Click here to purchase your Essentials Pack for $1,025
Textbooks: To be advised
Pathways from this qualification
No pathways or articulation currently exist.
Fee Structure
Elite Program (Full Course – Tuition Fee)
Study the full course fee – All 8 units
Australian/NZ students AUD $16,000
International Students USD $16,000
Upskill Program* (Tuition Fees)
Study Unit 1 plus 3 additional units
Australian/NZ students AUD $9,200
International Students USD $9,200
Essential Program – (Tuition Fees)
Study one unit at a time (commencing Unit 1)
Australian/NZ students AUD $2,500
International Students USD $2,500
* Students can choose: Unit 1 plus Unit 3, Unit 4 & Unit 5 Cluster OR Unit 1 plus a choice of 3 of Unit 2, Unit 6, Unit 7 or Unit 8
How to Pay
Payment is required as follows:
Elite Program (Full Course): Initial deposit of $1,500, then pay by monthly instalments of $1,000 (x 14 months, final payment of $500, by direct debit);
Upskill Program (4 Units): Initial deposit of $1,500, then pay by monthly instalments of $700 (x 11 months by direct debit);
Essentials Program (Unit by Unit): Initial deposit of $1,500, then pay by monthly instalments of $500 (x 2 months by direct debit).
Terms and Conditions:
1. Offer valid until 29 February 2020.
2. Each GDAO enrolment includes enrolled participants with 3 case vouchers to use upon each submission of an Invisalign case through the Postgraduate School of Dentistry’s Invisalign Doctor Site (IDS).
3. Voucher codes are valid for 6 months upon enrolment.
4. Each ClinCheck where a voucher has been applied must be approved within 90 days of submission or the case will be cancelled and a cancellation fee applies.
5. $750 worth of Free SAT Clinical Support and Treatment Planning. The 2019 Graduate Diploma in Aesthetic Orthodontics (GDAO) course now includes enrolled participants with SAT Clinical and Treatment Planning support for 5 cases free of charge valued at $750.
The Postgraduate School of Dentistry (PGSD) provides treatment planning services for a fee of $150 per case where support is provided from initial case assessment to Clincheck/Software treatment planning to case monitoring/troubleshooting and finally, retention advice. The GDAO course has been developed to train dentists to use any SAT product which includes Invisalign, ClearCorrect and other SAT systems. As Invisalign offers to treat cases of all ranges from simple to complex and provides the most up to date aligner features; a large number of cases treated with this system is presented in the course. As an enrolled student in the GDAO course, each Invisalign case is submitted through the PGSD’s Invisalign Doctor Site (IDS) where our one-on-one mentor will assist you with each case and ensures concepts discussed [taught] is applied.