Scholarship for Women In Australian Dental Industry

2027 applications open 5 October 2026 Applications for the 2027 ADIA Women in Dentistry Scholarship open Monday, 5 October 2026 and close Friday, 18 December 2026. The 2027 Scholarship recipient will be announced on 30 March 2027.

Founded in 2020, Women in Dentistry promotes the professional advancement of women in the oral health sector through networking, mentoring, and education. With this focus on career progression, ADIA has introduced the ADIA Women in Dentistry Scholarship.

Goal: Support the career progression of women in the Australian dental industry—expanding professional education and governance skillsets for the benefit of the sector.

What the Scholarship Includes

Australian Institute of Company Directors

The Scholarship provides the recipient with a one-year membership to the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) as well as enrolment to the AICD Company Directors Course™

AGSM General Manager Course

Full enrolment to the one-week residential AGSM General Manager Course.

Eligibility

Applications are open to women employed by, or who own, an ADIA member company for a minimum of 12 months prior to Scholarship application.

The Application Process

1) Seek an endorsement letter from your CEO or company leader

You will need to upload this during the application process. The endorsement letter must include:

Endorser’s name, company and contact details
Name of candidate being endorsed
How well they know the candidate
How long they have known the candidate professionally
Why the endorser believes the candidate is a good nominee for this professional development
Why the candidate should be considered for the Women in Dentistry Scholarship
Any other associations between the candidate and endorser
Any additional information that would be useful to the judging panel

* If the applicant is the CEO or equivalent, please provide an endorsement letter from the CEO or equivalent of another ADIA member company.
* Members of the ADIA Board, judging panel or ADIA staff cannot act as an endorser for a candidate.

2) Apply for the Scholarship (opens 5 October 2026)

The application includes a written section with a series of questions. You can create an account and save a draft to complete later.

$49 application fee. Applications close Friday 18 December 2026.

3) Shortlisted candidates will be notified

Shortlisted candidates will be notified by email by 29 January 2027.

4) Candidate interviews

Interviews via Zoom between 1-15 February 2027. There is nothing formal to prepare.

5) Scholarship recipient announcement

Announced 30 March 2027.

Key Dates

Entries open

Monday, 5 October 2026

Entries close

Friday, 18 December 2026

Winner announced

Tuesday, 30 March 2027

Meet the Judging Panel

The 2027 ADIA Women in Dentistry Scholarship applications will be assessed by an experienced judging panel bringing together expertise in leadership, governance, strategy, education and industry development.

Abby Corrigall MCom, DipGov

Founder, METHOD.

Abby Corrigall MCom, DipGov is the Founder of METHOD. and an accomplished dental industry leader with more than 20 years’ experience spanning executive leadership, strategy, professional education and business development. A former CEO of Enzo4D and Denaro4D and Group General Manager at the Australian Dental Association NSW, Abby has led businesses, teams and initiatives across clinical practice, laboratory, education and technology.

Today, she works with dental and healthcare organisations to create impactful education, engagement and growth strategies. Passionate about supporting women in dentistry, Abby is delighted to join the judging panel for the 2027 Women in Dentistry Scholarship Program.

Nicole Walker GAICD

Founder and CEO, Lightning Bolt Consulting

Nicole Walker GAICD is the Founder and CEO of Lightning Bolt Consulting and a highly respected leader with more than 20 years of experience across business events, organisational leadership, governance and strategic advisory. A former Managing Director of Arinex, Nicole has led major organisational transformations, delivered internationally recognised events, and advised boards, associations and executive teams on growth, innovation and leadership.

Passionate about supporting women to achieve their full potential, Nicole is committed to fostering future leaders through mentoring, education and advocacy. She is delighted to return as a judge for the 2027 Women in Dentistry Scholarship Program.

Michelle Weston

CEO, Caravan Parks Association of Queensland

As CEO of the Caravan Parks Association of Queensland (CPAQ), Michelle leads a dynamic organisation representing hundreds of Queensland’s caravan and residential parks. With nearly two decades of experience in association leadership, governance, and stakeholder engagement, she is known for driving strategic growth, advocacy excellence, and strong member outcomes. Michelle’s leadership focuses on empowering small business owners and creating sustainable industry ecosystems through collaboration, education, and policy influence.

Passionate about developing future leaders, she actively mentors emerging professionals and champions gender equity and inclusion across the tourism and accommodation sector.

Questions?

Contact the ADIA team on 1300 943 094 or national.office@adia.org.au.

Terms and conditions apply.