Celebrating leading ADAVB women on International Women's Day - Dr Susan Wise

In the lead up to International Women's Day on Friday 8 March, we're profiling the leadership journeys of leading ADAVB women. We spoke to ADAVB Immediate Past President and ADAVB Defence Committee member, Dr Susan Wise.

What motivated you to study dentistry? Were you ever constrained by perceptions about what women ‘can’t’ do?

My year 7 maths teacher mentioned that two of her daughters were studying dentistry. It was a “lightbulb” moment that “a girl can be a dentist”. I wanted a career that was creative, science-based, where I could meet lots of interesting people and make a difference. Dentistry certainly fits the bill.

Describe some of the inspiring women in your life that have made an impact on you.

• Professor Louise Brierley Messer was my paediatric dentistry professor when I was an undergraduate dentistry student. Professor Brierley Messer was a great role model for the female dental students. 
• Dr Louise Brown was the first female president of the Australian New Zealand Academy of Periodontics and a trail blazer and great mentor for the younger generation of female periodontists.
• My Nana Freda was born in 1906, a full-time working mum and very independent. Nana Freda wholeheartedly believed that girls should be educated.
• My great aunt Bessie, a tiny and feisty Holocaust survivor. 

How has the dentistry workforce changed since you studied and throughout your career?

Certainly, there are many more female dentists since I graduated almost 25 years ago. I don’t get asked if I am the “dental nurse” anymore! 

Tell us about your pathway throughout your leadership journey. 

I was the President of Alpha Omega (Jewish Dental Society) in Melbourne prior to moving to Brisbane to study periodontics. I subsequently become the President of the Sydney Alpha Omega group when I lived there in 2003 and 2004. 

When I returned home to Melbourne, I was appointed to and chaired the ADAVB Oral Health Committee from 2005 to 2009 and became the President of the Australian Society of Periodontology  Victorian Branch. 

My classmate, Matt Hopcraft, was the President’s representative on the Oral Health Committee. Matt would speak about ADAVB Council and its role in decision-making for the ADAVB. I thought it sounded interesting so I nominated for and was elected onto the ADAVB Council in 2010. I joined the Executive in 2014 and was ADAVB President from 2017 to 2018.

I did not renominate for Council at the recent elections and will be ending my involvement on ADAVB Council in June 2019. I am still very busy as I am now on the ADAVB Defence Committee, was recently elected as a Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons Councillor and President of the Korean Adoption Families Victoria and am also helping to organise my 30-year school reunion and 25-year dentistry reunion.

Describe some of the highlights of your role as ADAVB President during 2017/18. 

There were so many highlights:

• Attending functions on behalf of the ADAVB
• My weekly visits to the ADAVB office and chats with the fabulous ADAVB staff
• Meeting my local MP
• Trips to Bendigo for La Trobe Uni functions
• Going to Sydney for Federal Council and catching up with the other Branch Presidents
• Being the Victorian face of the female dentist for an article in “The Age” and interviewed by Hilary Harper on ABC Melbourne about Mouthguards.
• Matt Hopcraft became CEO of the ADAVB, 10 days after starting my Presidency. The first few weeks was a huge learning curve for both of us! The ADAVB Strategic Plan was completely revised making it more succinct and relevant with clear goals and key performance indicators. This flowed on to the Council and Executive meetings which became more decision focused. 
• I was really proud that a parental leave membership class was introduced at both federal and branch levels during my presidency. Many thanks to the female dentists who advocated for this membership category.

What do you say to women considering taking the step into leadership with the ADAVB?

Go for it! If anyone told me I would be the president of the ADAVB when I first joined the ADA 25 years ago, I would have thought they were crazy. I am really excited that Dr Gitika Sanghvi will be our eighth female ADAVB president in June 2019.

Further information

Contact a councillor: council.adavb.org

Join our mentoring program (ADAVB login required. Applications extended to 8 March): mentoring.adavb.org

Nominate for a committee role (ADAVB login required): adavb.net

Nominate for the Health Sector Leadership Program: hslp.adavb.org

Apply for the ADAVB BOQ Specialist $10,000 Practice Bursary or $5000 Recent Graduate CPD Bursary: bursary.adavb.org

Find your ADAVB Regional Group: adavb.net