Posted in News & Media

In the weeks since the Federal Election, inflation pressure, cost of living, and wages have all stayed at the top of the news cycle. This week, the new Labor Government increased the minimum wage just ahead of the current rate of inflation.

It is with this focus on the cost of living and doing business in a post-COVID-19 economy, that I am pleased to release the latest Australian Dental Industry Intelligence Report.

2020-2021 Australian Dental Industry Intelligence Report Released

Compiled by IBISWorld, the 2020-21 Australian Dental Industry Intelligence Report breaks down metrics for both products and services in the dental industry. It covers the impacts of inflationary pressure, COVID-19 restrictions, and other key performance drivers over the last 12 months.

The 2020-21 edition shows strong rebound growth in the industry since the decline in the first stages of COVID-19, outlined in last year's figures. The attached report shows 7.7% growth in combined products and services supply, along with 1% annualised industry growth to $3.5 billion. Click the button below to read the full report.

Have your say at the next TGA meeting

Thank you to those who attended the Tech Forum online last Thursday.

For those who missed it, you can find the summary here.

ADIA has been invited to present at the next RegTech meeting in September. This is your opportunity to provide us with any feedback and to highlight any concerns you wish to have raised with the TGA.

If you would like to provide feedback or have any questions, please make contact by email here. In order to prepare for the presentation, all feedback must be received by Friday 15 July.

As part of our ongoing collaboration with the TGA, various working groups have met over the last several weeks.

Regulatory and Technical Consultative Forum

The RegTech group gathered for the quarterly forum on Thursday last week. Chaired by Department of Health Deputy Secretary, John Skerritt and Co-chaired by First Assistant Secretary, Medical Devices and Product Quality Division, Tracey Duffy, the forum comprises seven associations in the medical device sector. Represented by myself, Joanne Challinor-Rogers, and Clare Martin, ADIA provided feedback to various TGA Department Heads on relevant legislation.

If you would like to attend today's Tech Forum for a full update at 3pm AEST, you can register here.

(RegTech committee members: TGA, ADIA, AMMDA, ATGC, ATSA, AusBiotech, CHP Australia, MTAA and ODMA)

Consultative Committee

ADIA is also a member of the TGA Consultative Committee. Meeting once per quarter, relevant associations consult with the TGA on pertinent issues such as pricing, structure, and advertising.

Dental Sector Working Group

Established in early 2021, the Dental Sector Working Group is made up of seven associations (ADIA, ADA, ADOHTA, ADPA, ASO, DHAA, and DIR). The original consultative process was to develop a new regulatory framework for personalised medical devices. In 2022 the group has been working on the Australian Regulatory Guidelines for Advertising Therapeutic Goods, which move from the 2018 code to the 2021 code at the end of this month.

Where relevant, we include members on items for consultation as part of our work with the TGA. You will have seen this recently when we invited members to participate in the consultative process for cybersecurity for legacy medical devices. If you would like to contribute, the consultation is still open for comment here.

The ongoing relationship with the TGA and other associations in these working groups is an important part of the advocacy work ADIA undertakes on behalf of its members. I would like to thank Joanne Challinor-Rogers and Clare Martin for their ongoing time, expertise, and support of this work.

The Albanese Government Ministers have been announced and sworn in. Below is a list of key Ministers in the new Federal Cabinet. There are many familiar names, albeit some with new portfolios. We look forward to continued collaboration with individual MPs and building a great working relationship with the new Cabinet.

Albanese Cabinet Ministry (abrev.)

Of note outside Cabinet is the Member for Lilley, Anika Wells, named Minister for Aged Care and Sport, along with Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, named Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health.

Along with the new Prime Minister, we have reached out to key Ministers in the Departments of Health, Treasury, and Trade in order to carry on with the advocacy work done under the previous Government as seamlessly as possible. We will continue this collaborative approach on behalf of our members.

To see the Albanese Ministry list in full, click here.

ADIA Advocacy Update

Dental Hygienists Association of Australia Limited

ADIA met with DHAA to advocate the change in scope of practice and the relevance to aged care and the Child Dental Benefits Schedule. The progression of the proposed merger of ADOHTA and DHAA was also discussed.

Australian Dental Association National

ADIA and ADA discussed the FDI Conference to be held in Sydney in September 2023, ADX Brisbane, the next steps for the Australian Dental Research Foundation, and the possible outcomes/benefits from the change of government.

Australian Dental Association Queensland

ADIA and ADAQ met to discuss the ADX Brisbane CPD program. Expert speakers, program structure, and pricing were all on the agenda.

Australian Dental Association Western Australia

ADIA met with the ADA Western Australia branch to discuss attendance at ADX Brisbane, the possibility of an ADIA stand at Singapore's International Dental Exhibition in October, and a survey of ADAWA members on future events in the oral health sector

ADIA would like to congratulate Dr David Hallett on his time with ADAWA and his selfless service to the sector leading into his retirement next month.

Australian Network for the Integration of Oral Health (NIOH)

ADIA outlined future goals for the Australian Dental Research Foundation, as well as ADIA's upcoming strategic planning day. NIOH's initiative to incorporate research through a website to reduce areas of duplication in the oral health sector was also discussed.

If you are interested in the ongoing work of the Reg and Tech committee Technical Forum being held next week, Thursday 9 June, where the outcome of today's TGA meeting will be discussed.

The TGA is calling for comments on behalf of the International Medical Device Regulators Forum (IMDRF). 

The original consultation in 2019 asked for feedback on Cybersecurity of Medical Devices. This year, the consultation will focus specifically on legacy medical devices and the security issues faced, as technology advances during the Total Product Life Cycle (TPLC).

"As medical devices become more connected, there is the potential to impact patient safety. This is evident as cybersecurity incidents have rendered medical devices and hospital networks inoperable, disrupting the delivery of patient care across healthcare facilities worldwide.

The purpose of the draft framework is to promote a globally harmonized approach to medical device cybersecurity that at a fundamental level ensures the safety and performance of medical devices while encouraging innovation. The framework is intended to provide medical device cybersecurity guidance for stakeholders across the device lifecycle." Medical Device Cybersecurity Guide Working Group, IMDRF.

Your input is requested

The consultation opened on 4 May 2022 and closes on 3 July 2022. Please click the button below to read the draft document 'Principles and Practices for the Cybersecurity of Legacy Medical Devices' and provide your feedback. 

ADIA Jobs Board Updated

I'm pleased to see a solid take-up of the new ADIA Jobs Board over the last two weeks. We now have some quality roles posted online as we begin the campaign to attract candidates. Job posts will continue to be available free of charge to members until 30 June.

Post your roles by clicking the banner above. 

ADIA launches dental industry-focused job board

We are pleased to report the ADIA Jobs Board is now live and available for position postings.

Requested by our members, the site has been 18 months in the making. After extensive research, we have invested in the best platform for the requirement, and following consultation with various members, built the site with your needs in mind.

The ADIA Jobs Board will be accessible to candidates via search engine optimisation, the ADIA homepage, targeted social media advertising, and dedicated eDM communications to be shared with your networks. This approach will attract qualified candidates from both within and beyond the dental industry.

Post your jobs free of charge on the ADIA Jobs Board

The most important step to success for the project is to ensure the site is well-populated with quality roles when candidates begin to visit. It is for this reason, we invite you, our members to enjoy free unlimited job postings until 30 June.

To get started:

- Go to jobs.adia.org.au and click Post a Job

- Create an account for your company and set up a company profile

- Follow the prompts to post a job

One of the key features of the site is the ability for candidates to sign up for alerts for specific companies. Provided you spend time on your company profile and continue to post quality roles, candidates who wish to work with you will be directed to your positions as they become available by opt-in alerts.

We look forward to your support of the launch of the ADIA Jobs Board to ensure we have the roles available to attract quality candidates to your business.