Recent State Branch meetings across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth have given ADIA a clear snapshot of how members are tracking and what you need from us next.

This update brings together the national market picture, key advocacy work, a new early-years pilot, major events on the horizon and a link to the ADIA Annual Report 2025.

The market: under pressure, still resilient

Member feedback tells a familiar story – but with more resilience than the headlines suggest.

• Trading conditions: New South Wales is facing a tighter environment, while Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia are reporting a steadier finish to the year.

• Staffing: Retaining and attracting the right people, especially auxiliary staff, remains a consistent challenge.

• Costs: Input costs, potential tariffs and currency shifts are still squeezing margins.

Even in this context, many businesses reported stronger-than-expected Q4 results, underlining how adaptable the sector continues to be.

Advocacy: turning member feedback into outcomes

Guided by what you’re seeing day to day, ADIA’s advocacy work has focused on access, affordability and regulatory certainty.

Recent highlights include:

• Direct engagement with government through the Federal Labor Business Exchange, putting member issues in front of senior decision-makers.

• Sector alignment via the National Oral Health Sector Forum, with a shared focus on community water fluoridation and the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS).

• Regulatory progress with the TGA now recognising UK conformity assessment certificates, with fees moving in line with CPI and the Wage Price Index.

New pilot: “Bite-sized Beginnings”

Low utilisation of the CDBS – despite benefits of up to $1,132 for eligible children – remains a concern.

To help address this, ADIA is preparing to launch “Bite-sized Beginnings” in Q2 next year. The pilot will:

• Pair Early Learning Centres with dental clinics

• Provide oral health education and free assessments

• Test a model that can be scaled nationally if successful

The goal is simple: get more children into care earlier and reduce preventable oral health issues over time.

Events: a big year ahead

Events remain a key way ADIA connects the industry and supports member growth.

• ADX Sydney (March): On track to be our biggest ADX yet, with strong exhibitor numbers and delegate registrations ahead of 2024.

• Women in Dentistry Breakfast: At ADX Sydney, Jenn Morris OAM OLY – dual Olympic gold medallist and ASX Board Director – will headline the breakfast.

• Adelaide Dental Symposium (August) and ADX Brisbane (October): Focused CPD, networking and supplier connections in their home states.

ADIA Annual Report 2025: the full picture

For members wanting the complete story – from advocacy and events to governance and finances – the ADIA Annual Report 2025 is now available.

Read the ADIA Annual Report 2025

Keep the feedback coming

Everything in this update started with members sharing what they’re seeing on the ground.

If you have local insights, emerging issues or ideas you’d like ADIA to consider in its advocacy, programs or events, please reach out so we can continue to represent and support the dental industry nationally.

New South Wales Branch
President - Michael Fahey, Henry Schein

e: nsw@adia.org.au

Queensland Branch
President - James Rosborough, A-dec Inc.

e: qld@adia.org.au

Victorian Branch
President - Sam Thalassinos, XYZ Dental
Vice President - Angus Pryor, Dental Marketing Solutions

e: vic@adia.org.au

South Australian Branch
President - Erik Leinius.

e: sa@adia.org.au

Western Australian Branch
President - Hayley Avery, STS Group Australia
Vice President - Wayne Young, West Coast Dental Depot

e: wa@adia.org.au

ADIA State Branches of the Australian Dental Industry Association play an important role in building local collaborative relationships. This networking leverages mutual skills, knowledge and experience so member businesses can grow, create jobs, and operate sustainably.

ADIA State Branches meet quarterly to socialise, network and learn.

The elected leadership for each state plays a vital role in collaborating with members and external stakeholders to initiate and sustain projects that support the dental industry.

There has been plenty of recent activity in the Advocacy Space. Last week during Dental Health Week, ADIA held its second Adelaide Dental Symposium and hosted a South Australian Dental Service key stakeholder, Ms Kristy Nixon. Kym De Britt, CEO provided a guided tour of the Exhibition, showcasing our members' innovative technology, that is facilitating dental treatment outside of traditional dental clinics, including mobile dental carts, scanners and 3D printers.

In other news, ADIA has been met with several other dental sector association leaders, including Nathan Clarke, the CEO of the newly-formed Oral Health Association of Australia (OHAA). OHAA has formed from the merger of Dental Hygienists Association of Australia (DHAA) and the Australian Dental and Oral Health Therapists Association (ADOHTA). In addition, ADIA participated in final workshop for the development of the next National Oral Health Plan which sets out the strategic focus for improvements in Australia’s oral health over the next decade.

ADIA has partnered with Colgate on two projects to raise the awareness of the Child Dental Benefits Schedule to eligible families. Firstly, including our ADIA CDBS Information brochures in Foodbank NSW School Breakfast Hampers (pictured) and also within G8 Early Learning Centres.

Our Director of Policy and Education, Dr Sarah Raphael and Technical Team member, Dr Joanne Challinor-Rogers participated in the Medical Technology Association of Australia, Regulatory Summit in July. To catch the regulatory information from the summit, which included global and TGA presenters, as well as news from the forthcoming TGA Regulatory and Technical Forum, join the Technical Forum at 1pm on Tuesday 2nd September. Register here

To get involved in ADIA Advocacy or share your thoughts and ideas, please contact Dr Sarah Raphael by emailingsarah.raphael@adia.org.au

STANDARDS AUSTRALIA CONSULTATION: DR AS/NZS 5369:2023 AMENDMENT

Standards Australia have a current consultation open until 22 September 2025 on amendments to:

DR AS/NZS 5369:2023 Reprocessing of reusable medical devices and other devices in health and non-health related facilities.

These amendments are centred on updates that result from the amendment of ISO 11139:2018/Amd 1:2024, 3.214.2 including impacts on sterilzation processes and process challenge devices.

To review the proposed amendment to the Standard, you are required register with Standards Australia. All comments are made online via the consultation portal.

Please follow these steps to provide your feedback.

Register and Log in

1. Visit Standards Australia
2. Hover on Committee Access - the blue heading on the top right of the menu bar.
3. Click on Public Comment where the list of open consultations will be listed.
4. Type "5369" in the Search Drafts bar.
5. If you are registered for Standards Australia - log on here. If you are not registered you can follow the prompts to register.

Providing feedback

Once you have registered and logged in:

1. Click on DR AS/NZS 5369:2023 Amd 1:2025.
2. Comments can be made throughout the sections of the document by either:

• Clicking the sections on the Table of Contents; or
• By using the Previous and Next buttons on the top right corner; or
• Comments can be made by clicking on the Add Comment button at the end of each section.
• Alternately, general comments can be made at the bottom of the "Draft Details" page.

Need help?

Additional help is available at the Help Guide to assist in navigating the Public Comment Portal.

If you require further information please email ADIA Director of Policy and Education, Dr Sarah Raphael