The President's report

Dr Amit Gurbuxani ADAWA President

Membership renewals 2023-24

I am sure you would be aware that membership renewals for 2023/24 have been issued and I would take this opportunity to again draw your attention to Council’s decision that ADAWA branch fees will not increase in 2023/24. This decision recognises that through prudent financial management, Council can support our valued members during challenging economic times.

It is important that ADAWA maintains our strength in numbers, especially as this allows us to advocate strongly to government, and other entities to achieve beneficial outcomes for our members and therefore the broader community.

Examples of our advocacy work include the recent engagement with the WA Department of Health, and our meeting with the Shadow Minister for Health Ms Libby Mettam, to advocate against the proposed regulation of private dental practices performing services under IV sedation. Increasing the regulatory burden on the dental profession will not only negatively impact dentists but has the potential to inflict unintended and disadvantageous consequences on the community, which is why this proposed change needs to be vigorously opposed. With your continued support, we can continue all the good work for the benefit of our members. Hence, I strongly urge you to renew your membership as early as possible, which will help your association continue to serve you in the best possible manner.

Council update

The next step in our continuous improvement process, which aims to ensure ADAWA remains relevant and delivers value to our members now and into the future, is the review of the ADAWA Constitution. T his is a vital step in the process, especially as the soon-to-be rolled out ADAWA Strategic Plan will require rules that are contemporary and fit for purpose, and which support the key identified strategic objectives of the Plan. The Constitution review, which will be undertaken by the ADAWA Constitution Committee, is expected to be completed early in the new financial year.

Committee updates

All the ADAWA Committees under the individual Chairs are working hard to ensure the progress of their objectives. I thank each dynamic and passionate committee member for their engagement.

ADAWA Helpline update

Our ADAWA Helpline panel members are currently undertaking mental health first aid training, which will greatly enhance our ability to support members who access the service when they find themselves in challenging professional or personal circumstances and need an empathetic ear. Stay tuned for further updates on this soon-to-be-launched member service. I would like to finish this report by thanking all the hard-working ADAWA staff and our CEO, Trevor Lovelle, for all the work being done behind the scenes to ensure the renewals go smoothly and the membership benefits are explored and enhanced.