Executive Report
Meeting 21st August 2010
ADPA NSW State Conference
The NSW Dental Technicians Registration Board is no more.
CORA The Council of Regulating Authorities is no more.
For the first time in 35 years NSW Dental Technicians are no longer registered, and for
the first time in 32 years, we, NSW Dental Prosthetists, are no longer represented by our
own independent board.
Our representation now, is just one member on the twelve-member Dental Board of
Australia. A board consisting of one Dental Therapist, One Dental Hygienist, four
Community Members, five Dentists, and one Dental Prosthetist.
Times have changed.
So it seems appropriate, half way through our two-year term, to ask what the ADPA
Executive Committee has done so far and what we intend to do over the next twelve
months.
Senior Vice President Will Layton and Junior Vice President Abe Awakian have,
amongst many other things, mediated differences between our members and the general
public with their work on the Patient Complaints Committee. While there has been a
slight rise in complaints following the introduction of the Medicare scheme, we remind
members that 4 percent of the dental profession will be audited and to ensure that you
fully comply with all the Medicare procedures especially Section 10 of Health Insurance
Determination 2007 that requires Dental Prosthetists to provide a patient with written
details of the course of treatment, along with a quotation and requires a written summary
of the plan to be given to the referring GP AND that that you do not claim payment prior
to completing the work.
Treasurer Martin Dunn OAM has worked relentlessly on the NSW Dental Technicians
Registration Board and has prepared reports and managed the Association’s finances to
the highest possible standard. The Finance Committee is pleased to announce the
introduction of a fiscal budget to allow us greater control and accountability over our
planned expenditure and financial management.
Assistant Secretary Graham Key is an invaluable member of the executive who I would
personally like to thank for his tireless efforts, valuable insights, constant support and
wealth of knowledge as he helped me step up into the role of Secretary. The number of
corrections, suggestions and rewrites of letters to the NSW Dental Technicians
Registration Board, NSW Health, the Deputy Premier and Health Minister is very close
to being countless. His dedication and drive are the foundation upon which our success is
built.
Committee member Mark Hoffman deserves special mention for his work in the political
sphere that directly contributed to us being in a position to negotiate with the NSW
Government to set aside two hundred thousand dollars in an Education and Research
Trust for NSW Dental Technicians.
Committee member Minoo Ramezani has worked tirelessly on the planning and
management of NSW state events to ensure the success of not just this NSW State
Conference, but also the success of study group meetings and social events across the
state throughout the year.
Committee member Shelly Veness and Student Representative Stuart Anderton are
directly responsible for the increase in the number of patients turning up to your clinic.
Their design, management and implementation of the new ADPA website, that we are
proud to announce is being launched at this conference, will address the increasing
number of patients using the Internet and searching for dental providers online.
Our new website is not only a tool for prospective patients but is also be a valuable
resource for all our members.
Several examples of its capacity include;
 Locum work. If you are planning a holiday and want a locum prosthetist to fill in
when you’re away our website will show you who is available.
 An education resource. The Brett Davis State Conference lecture on Impression
techniques for polyvinylsiloxane impression materials is already loaded on our
website.
 We have the capacity for the notification of the selling and buying of Denture
Clinic Practices and dental equipment.
 Our Website has a rolling banner that will alert you to the most urgent and
pressing issues facing NSW Dental Prosthetists.
 There will be notifications of upcoming study group, social and CPD events.
 Our website has the capability to announce, alert and inform you of Members
Only discounted trade supplies.
In short our website has just become your most valuable resource and it’s value will grow
as we continue to develop and expands it’s potential
Committee Member Humberto De Andrade is fighting injustice.
There are a few remaining health funds that give greater rebates for patients who are
treated by Dentists than to patients treated for the same service by our members. This is
an injustice we cannot allow to continue. Humberto is currently working hard on a
strategy that we aim to implement before the end of the year.
Finally President Jenine Bradburn, has worked tirelessly, and I mean tirelessly, she has
used all her holiday pay, taken time off work and devoted very long hours to every aspect
of Association business including meetings at ministerial level with Deputy Premier
Carmel Tebbutt MP, meetings with Iain Martin from NSW Health, has played a major
role in the success of this state conference, she plays a leading role in voicing our
concerns to the highest level of government, and was directly responsible for securing the
largest amount of money ever set aside for the educational benefit of NSW Dental
Technicians.
She is a capable, determined and passionate leader who we can be proud to have
representing us.
So what do we have planned for the next twelve months?
It is the Association’s firmest belief that we need to increase our scope of practice
through education.
We acknowledge that our patients are growing older and we must plan for the future.
We recognise Dentists, Dental Therapists and Dental Hygienists are all degree qualified.
We acknowledge that we must provide our students with a sound, sustainable, integrated
career path that delivers the capacity for their skills and experience to be transferable into
all other fields within dentistry.
We recognise that if any of our members wish to do further study in the field of dentistry,
in the Bachelor of Dentistry, in the Bachelor of Oral health, in the Bachelor of Oral
Therapy, that none of our current skills, none of our years of experience, none of our
current qualifications are acknowledged as Recognised Prior Learning.
We are beginning the process to rectify this.
We are beginning the process to give our members an integrated career path.
We are beginning the process to increase our scope of practice through education.
I am please to announce TAFE NSW has agreed to develop a degree course for NSW
Dental Prosthetists.
The new qualification will be a bachelor of Oral Health (Dental Prosthetics).
It is expected this course will be the stepping-stone for those of our members who wish to
go on to study Dentistry. The development of this course is expected to take 18 months.
The process of improving our profession does not only fall on the shoulders of the
Executive Committee. It also falls on the shoulders of our members.
It also falls on your shoulders.
If you are one of our members who have not yet upgraded your Dental Technician’s
certificate to a diploma please see me for an enrolment form.
If you are one of our members who have not yet upgraded your Dental Prosthetics Higher
Certificate to an Advanced Diploma, please see me for an enrolment form.
If you are one of our members who have not yet enrolled in the Implant Retained OverDenture Course please see me for an enrolment form.
It is only by striving to increase our education levels that we open the door to
opportunity.
If you are one of our members who have not yet given us your current email address,
please contact Angie immediately as it is our intention to reduce all unnecessary
expenditure. All future correspondence will be sent electronically.
Despite the fact that we have lost the NSW Dental Technicians Registration Board, and
we acknowledge the hard work done by members of the board over the last 35 years,
especially Martin Dunn OAM, Steve McGlynn, and Keith Anderton who have always
fought passionately on behalf of our members, I believe we have the vision, capability,
determination and passion to secure a prosperous future and to position ourselves ready
for opportunity, for all our practicing members, for all our student members and for all
our future members. I believe the success of this NSW State Conference at Terrigal is a
reflection of this.
Together we can make a difference to our profession.
Together we can build our future.
Sincerely
Anthony Boyle
NSW Secretary