About AHSR

About Us

Australian Health Sector Recruiting was conceived on the road. That is, while its founders were travelling the country with a small baby and doing locum work. Since March 1998 AHSR has been based on the Mid-North Coast of NSW - for lifestyle reasons (and because a baby becomes a child and that child now has a sibling)!

Since January 1998, Australian Health Sector Recruiting has been specialising in the placement of dentists and dental ancillary staff. Since then, we have assisted the filling of hundreds of permanent and short-term placements. AHSR has proven to be efficient and cost effective filling positions in Australia and the UK and sourcing dentists from Australia, New Zealand and the UK. AHSR ensures quality control by following up on all locums and employers and does not continue to work with those who have proven unsuitable.

Many of our locums and employers have utilised our service more than once and have heard of us via word of mouth. This is testament to our user-friendliness and effectiveness. Repeat contact and feedback also enables us to get a good feel for who would work well with whom.

AHSR abides by the Recruitment and Consulting Services Association (Australia) code of conduct. As such, you can be assured of our confidentiality and ethical practice. In accordance with the RCSA code of conduct, and legislation enacted in the interests of consumer protection, AHSR charges no fees to those seeking employment. We charge no registration fees to employers and they are under no financial obligation if we are unable to fill their positions.

For some time, AHSR has been actively trying to address the problem of the reluctance of dentists to work outside the major cities. We have decided to put our money where our mouth is with the launch of the AHSR Rural and Regional Elective Bursary Competition. The competition is open to final year dental students of all Australian Universities. To be eligible to apply the student must have arranged to do a significant part of their final year elective in rural or regional Australia. Where an elective is not part of the final year curriculum, fifth year students may apply if they arrange a similar placement within a holiday period during or immediately prior to their final year.

AHSR is fully aware of its legislated responsibilities and acts quickly to accommodate changes in relevant laws (eg. NSW Child Protection (1998) and the 'Working With Children Check'). AHSR also takes active measures to be involved in changes to relevant legislation via submissions to government.

Who are we?
The founders of AHSR have supported the dental students from the very beginning. On Sharon's graduation in 1996 they donated their pinball machine - the Cosmic Princess - to the dental student's common room. The Princess remained there until early 2001 when she was retired from overuse.

Phillip
Co-founder of AHSR. His numerous experiences doing locum work around the country enabled him to experience the locum's side of things first hand for about two years. Currently working on part time as a contractor at Grafton Base Hospital. He completed a MB&BS at the University of Adelaide in 1993 and undertook postgraduate finance studies in 2001. His role in AHSR currently is one of financial management and strategic planning.

Sharon
Completed her BDS at the University of Adelaide in 1996. Also has a B.Sci Dent with First Class Honours in Oral Pathology. She is mid-way through a post-graduate law degree. She is also a member of the Recruitment and Consulting Services Association. She started AHSR due to her knack of finding great jobs for herself and her friends- and because at the time she thought she could do it from the beach with no more than a laptop and a mobile phone! As a dentist she has worked in private and public practice, for Aboriginal Health and as a civilian for the Army. Her dental experience, combined with her business experience, gives her the ability to understand the viewpoints and needs of both those looking for work and the different employer bodies trying to recruit them. Her life in the country makes her a credible advocate of the lifestyle benefits of living outside the major cities.

Trisha Wall
Trisha has worked as a dental assistant and receptionist in the public and private sector for many years and is well aware of the needs of both dentist employers and employees. Originally taking on her position at AHSR part time she began full time work with us in mid-2003. AHSR has continued to increase its activity since Trisha has come on board.