Get involved in #dentalhealthweek: Oral health for busy lives

Dental Health Week, 7-13 August, is the ADA's major annual oral health promotion event. Its aim is to educate Australians about the importance of maintaining good oral health in every aspect of their lives.

This year's theme is "Oral Health For Busy Lives". No matter how busy you are or where you are in life, it is possible to fit caring for your teeth and gums into an already-overcrowded diary. You may see caring for your teeth and gums as an optional extra, something to be put aside in favour of more pressing issues, but the fact is that it's vitally important that you care for your teeth and gums every bit as much as anything else in life.

Find out more: About #dentalhealthweek

Download free resources: ADA website  #dental health week posters, fact sheets and event planning information

Lodge a submission to the senate inquiry on private health insurance by 28 July

There are just three days left to lodge a submission to the landmark senate inquiry on private health insurance. This is your chance to be heard. Support the ADA in bringing private health insurance issues and how these negatively affect the healthcare of Australians, into mainstream political debate.

Anyone can make a submission - as a consumer or as a healthcare professional. The more individual submissions made as a part of the senate inquiry, the more likely the senate committee conducting the inquiry are to take note and act on the issues raised.

Learn more about how to make your submission:
PHI submission to senate inquiry

More information about the inquiry on the Parliament of Australia website:
The value and affordability of private health insurance and out-of-pocket medical costs

Please lodge your submission by 28 July. 

Thank you Garry Pearson - ADA's longest serving Branch CEO retires from role

After 26 years as ADAVB CEO, Mr Garry Pearson, the ADA’s longest serving Branch CEO, has retired from the role to move on to his own business interests.

The ADAVB thanks Garry for his extraordinary, loyal and generous commitment to ADAVB members and the community.

Garry worked with a strategic focus, advocating on issues impacting on the dental profession and the oral health of the community.

He developed respectful and effective relationships with government and policy makers, worked tirelessly to address workforce issues, sought collaborations with multiple partner organisations in health promotion and advocacy campaigns, worked strategically with ADA Branches and ADA Inc. and was instrumental in developing partnerships to grow the professional support and education benefits available for Victorian dentists. He dealt compassionately with members; and the oral health of Victorians was central in the initiatives he developed or supported.

Garry worked with 28 presidents and 14 councils over his 26-year tenure. His standout achievements include but are not limited to:

• Establishment of the eviDent Foundation to promote and enable oral health research at the practitioner level – the first of its kind - with special thanks to the Melbourne Dental School and Oral Health CRC for their shared vision.
• Creation of the ADAVB Practice Plus service which delivers high quality practice admin and management resources.
• Establishment of Dentists for Cleaner Water project which involved a partnership with Victorian EPA and Water Boards.
• Development of the ADAVB/Professionals Australia alliance to assist public dentists (who are paid up to 40% less than interstate equivalents) with EBA negotiations.
• Launch of the Health Sector Leadership Program, in collaboration with Leadership Victoria, which aims to support the development of future leaders from a range of professional associations within the health sector..

We know that many of Garry’s colleagues will join us in thanking Garry for his incredible dedication and hard work. Thank you Garry, from all members, Council, Executive and staff, and best wishes for your next chapter.