HLT55118 is the nationally recognised Diploma of Dental Technology. It prepares you for work as a dental technician. It has been the current version on the national register since 2018, when it replaced HLT55115. Employers posted about 168 dental technician jobs in June 2026, down 12.8% on a year earlier.
The long-term signals behind the Diploma of Dental Technology are positive, though current job advertising is below a year earlier. Dental technicians are in national shortage and employment is projected to grow through 2035. Job ads in June 2026 were down 12.8% on a year earlier. These are official statistics, not a promise about your result.
Employers are posting fewer dental technician jobs than a year ago. About 168 dental technician jobs were advertised online in June 2026, down 12.8% on a year earlier. Over the last 12 months there were about 2,100 job ads, while 870 people were training in the qualification nationally (2025). Ads show the market. Enrolments show the pipeline. Neither is a job promise.
Australia's official shortage list rates dental hygienists, dental prosthetists, dental technicians and dental therapists as in shortage. The 2025 Occupation Shortage List rates Dental Hygienist, Dental Prosthetist, Dental Technician and Dental Therapist as in national shortage.
Dental technician jobs are projected to grow. Jobs and Skills Australia projections put these occupations at 7,542 workers in May 2025, 8,259 by May 2030 (up 9.5%) and 9,100 by May 2035 (up 20.7%).
Enrolments in the Diploma of Dental Technology are steady. Across Australia, 875 people enrolled in 2024. In 2025 it was 870, down 0.6% in a year.
The register and the national framework set some of this. Providers set the rest.
State funding for HLT55118 is being verified against official program lists.
Eligibility and student contributions vary by program and provider. The official state listing is the source of truth. In a subsidised place the government pays most of the tuition and you pay a co-contribution set by the program and provider.
The Diploma of Dental Technology is 25 units: 21 core, plus 4 electives chosen from 17 options on the register.
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Browse coursesGet Course maps HLT55118 to its occupations using the register’s own outcome wording, shown with ANZSCO codes (here, 4112) so the mapping can be checked. Job advertisement counts come from the Jobs and Skills Australia Internet Vacancy Index and count online ads, not vacancies filled. Enrolment counts come from NCVER Total VET Activity and count people in training, not completions. Funding rows appear only after verification against the official state program list. Source vintages: NCVER Total VET Activity 2025 collection; employment projections May 2025 to May 2035 release; Occupation Shortage List 2025 assessment; register training.gov.au, synced 18 September 2026; Jobs and Skills Australia Internet Vacancy Index latest month June 2026; register synced 19 Sept 2026. Page last updated 20 Sept 2026.