Posted in Media Release

ADIA welcomes new Federal Government

Following the election over the weekend, ADIA is working towards solidifying relationships with key MPs, both re-elected and new to Parliament. At the time of writing, we are still waiting to see if Labor has achieved a majority Government, or what a minority will look like in terms of key Independents.

The new Cabinet is due to be sworn in next Wednesday. We look forward to gaining an understanding of the portfolio allocation so we can continue advocacy work on behalf of our members.

In the meantime, below is a round-up of recent advocacy efforts from ADIA.

ADIA Advocacy Update

Australian Oral Health Collaboration (AOHC)

The AOHC gathered to discuss the next steps in moving forward with improved access to oral health services in aged care and awareness of the Child Dental Benefits Schedule following the federal election.

Australian Dental and Oral Health Therapists Association (ADOHTA)

ADIA met with ADOHTA to discuss attendance and involvement with ADX Brisbane. ADIA also briefed ADOHTA on current work in aged care, the CDBS, and ADOHTA’s possible involvement with the Australian Oral Health Collaboration.

New Zealand Dental Industry Group (NZDIG)

ADIA met with NZDIG to outline ADX Brisbane and discuss a New Zealand delegation for the event. We are also looking at ways to provide our members with more involvement at NZ events, and the possibility of sharing education resources and relevant data.

Dental Sector Working Group (DSWG)

ADIA and members of the Reg and Tech Committee attended a session to gain a greater understanding of the Australian Regulatory Guidelines for Advertising Therapeutic Goods (ARGATG), which was updated in 2021. This included both restricted representations and compliant comparisons. You can learn more about the current guidelines for applying the advertising code here. Both the 2018 and 2021 codes are in use until June 30 when the transition to the new 2021 code will be finalised.

Australian Dental Association South Australia Branch (ADA SA)

ADIA met with ADA SA to discuss promoting ADX Brisbane to South Australian oral health professionals in the ADA network, along with future projects in South Australia. We hope to see a delegation from the ADA SA office at ADX Brisbane.

Work with the TGA via the Reg and Tech Committee continues also. We will bring you further information on each of these collaborations via the CEO Update.

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.

Two weeks ago I outlined ADIA's focus on oral health in aged care for the coming year. As part of the Australian Oral Health Collaboration (AOHC), ADIA is working with both sides of politics to ensure the expanded scope of care in Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACF) includes oral health.

Along with this, we are working to increase awareness of the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS). The CDBS is a well-funded, underutilised federal program, providing eligible children in Australia with part or the full cost of basic dental care services.

Child Dental Benefits Schedule at a Glance

• The CDBS covers part of, or the full cost of basic dental services for eligible children in Australia.
• Eligibility is based on receiving at least one payment from select Services Australia entitlements per year.
• The CDBS is available to eligible children aged 0-17 years.
• Participants can claim up to $1026 for treatment within a 2-year calendar period.
• The CDBS has an annual budget of $1.4 billion.
• More than three million children in Australia are eligible for the CDBS.

Currently, only 39% of the annual allocated budget for the CDBS is being spent. With more than three million children eligible for the CDBS and approximately $854 million going unused each year, there is a real opportunity to make a measurable difference to the health of children in Australia at no additional cost to the public.

ADIA has been in discussion with various MPs since October last year regarding the unused budget. The Association is appealing to Government to allocate a small portion of these funds to an awareness campaign.

Increased awareness of the CDBS among parents will mean the program has the potential to reach and treat a further 1.8 million eligible children in Australia biennially.

We expect to continue dialogue with both sides of politics regarding the CDBS so we are well placed to assist with improvements to the program following the election.

I would like to thank Board member, Alex Abrahams for his dedication to the cause, assistance in background research, and communication with Members of Parliament.

Work on the Child Dental Benefits Schedule and oral health in aged care are just some of the ways we are working to uphold the ADIA vision of an industry that empowers oral health professionals to advance the health and well-being of all Australians.

In late March, the Minamata Convention on Mercury had its fourth Conference of the Parties (COP4) in Bali, Indonesia. This was the first COP since Australia ratified the Convention late last year. The meeting mapped out additional annex inclusions for phase-down and/or phase-out items containing mercury. There were several items of interest and I encourage you to read the Report to Stakeholders to get an understanding of the kinds of changes on the horizon.

Of particular interest are the Annex A Part II changes relating to dental amalgam. You can read about the latest proposed phase-down measures at the bottom of this email. You can also read Annex A Part II (Dental Amalgam) in its entirety here.

It is important to note, as of 7 March 2022, Australia is now bound by the decisions of the Convention.

What is the Minamata Convention on Mercury?

The Minamata Convention on Mercury was adopted in October 2013 and has the objective of protecting human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds.

Australia ratified the Minamata Convention on 7 December 2021 and is legally bound to both the treaty obligations and decisions of the COP.

The Convention entered into force for Australia on 7 March 2022.

Changes to the use of Mercury in Dentistry
(Annex A Part II Dental Amalgam)

Additional phase-down actions (by 2025) for dental amalgam:

- exclude or not allow, by taking measures as appropriate, the use of mercury in bulk form by dental practitioners; and

- exclude or not allow, by taking measures as appropriate, or recommend against the use of dental amalgam for the dental treatment of deciduous teeth, of patients under 15 years, and of pregnant and breastfeeding women, except when considered necessary by the dental practitioner based on the needs of the patient.

Quick Links

The Minamata Convention on Mercury

The Minamata Convention on Mercury text including Annex A Part II

The Minamata Convention on Mercury COP4 Report to Stakeholders