Articulate - November 2015

NOVEMBER 2015 NEWSLETTER twitter.com/ADSAMedia facebook.com/AusDSA instagram.com/ADSA2015

adsa

Australian Dental Students Association

www.adsa.org.au

Done and Dusted!

Dear ADSA students, Well done to another brilliant year!

For those final year students - good luck for the future.

I’m sure you will all do splendidly. Know what you want and just go for it!

In this jam-packed end-of-year issue: President Mohit gives a brief summary of all ADSA’s achievements throughout the past 2015 year. Next, welcome in the new ADSA Committee for 2016 on page 6. ADSA hosted many events this year, including the Cairns convention bash (pg. 9), R U OK day (pg. 12) and the Annual Blood Drive (pg. 14). Well-deserved thank yous will be made on page 16 for those that made this year’s success possible. ADSA loves to know what everyone is up to: hear about each of the experiences of students across all the Dental and Oral Health Schools in Australia starting from page 18. Rural updates from Amika will be in page 24, and finally, find out more about the enlightened community work done by the Human & Hope Association in ‘Your Story’.

Enjoy the summer break - you deserve it! Then, get ready to come back to university with a fire to learn and improve. Graduating students, of course, won’t more dental school for a while now! All the best for those entering the so-called ‘real world’. Nevertheless, this final message is for everyone: although seemingly counterintuitive - don’t work too hard! Be sure to always make time for family, friends, and as always, look after yourself.

Wishing you a happy holiday and a relaxing time ahead,

Cheryl X. Chen Publications Officer Australian Dental Students Association

adsa

Australian Dental Students Association

CONTENTS 04 06 09 12 14 16 18 24 26

president’s report adsa committee 2016 cairns convention report R U OK day blood drive results thank you a look at 2015 rural updates human & hope association

twitter.com/ADSAMedia facebook.com/AusDSA instagram.com/ADSA2015

adsa

Australian Dental Students Association

www.adsa.org.au

Design & layout by Cheryl X. Chen

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Cherie Yam sponsorship@adsa.org.au PUBLICATION SUBMISSIONS AND ENQUIRIES Cheryl X. Chen publications@adsa.org.au NOV 2015 / 03

FROM THE PRES.

END-OF-YEAR REPORT Dear fellow dental students, Indeed, it’s that time of the year for me to wrap it up and handover the chords into the hands of the new committee taking charge next year. But before I move into that, let me discuss 2015.

This year ADSA underwent restructuring together with introduction of new events and activities. Our corporate supporters and partners have all had satisfactory reviews regarding the collaboration fostered this year. We started off with 6 goals and all of them were achieved in first 6 months. With respect to Convention in Cairns, we went above and beyond our capacities and extended our numbers. It was a fun-filled experience with didactic learning implanted within the program.

In a nutshell, our achievements have been summarised below: • Increased the stakeholder participation by 3 fold i.e. 3 times greater than the year before. We had more supporters and sponsors who engaged with us this year. In the 2016, we aim to increase this even further. A list of our corporates/sponsors/supporters is provided later.

• Integration of Dental Hygiene and Oral Health Therapy students in our committee and extending our activities within their universities and programs. This has been well received by the wider student committee and their involvement will increase in the upcoming year.

• Introduction of a dentally oriented mental health awareness day. This was run in the form of coffee ‘n’ conversations on ‘R U OKAY’ Day. This year we ran this as a trial, however, given the success of it from majority of the universities/schools, this will be a full-fledged event next year. The new committee has already started to plan this.

• Launching the ADSA-ACDE Dental Student Scholarship Program. The scholarship is open to a final year dentistry students. 1 student will be awarded a full scholarship to engage in learning of the Graduate Diploma of Practice Management (Dental Practice Management) • Enhancing International Engagement. Specifically this year, our supporters have launched ADSA specific dental international projects in order to provide a holistic dental experience to various year groups. For example, the India Dentistry Challenge by Challenges Abroad, the Nepal Dentistry Project by Challenges Abroad and the multitude of projects by Work the World.

• Valorising the community service aspect in Dentistry. We engaged with the National Dental Foundation (NDF) with their Dental Rescue Days initiative wherein students nationally from various universities nationally were engaged in dental assisting and observing whilst providing free dental care and treatment to the community.

This partnership was a success and will be sustained next year.

• Successful student Convention in Cairns. This year’s theme was different to the other years. Our aim was to cover the various facets of dentistry amidst the beachside sunny weather of Cairns. Student responses and sponsor/supporter reviews were very positive. We aim to keep this spirit for next year’s convention. Stay tuned in early December for that release.

• Sustenance of previously ADSA endorsed projects. We have continued our commitment to our previous projects and had successful participation from majority of the schools, for example, Red Cross ADSA Blood Drive.

04 / NOV 2015 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

FROM THE PRES. • Drawing new linkages. This year we also linked with Avenue Dental and had students around the country participate within the newly formed Australian Dental Graduate of the Year Award Program. Finalists and the winner attend the Mini Residency in General Practice Dentistry Program in addition to monetary achievement and recognition.

• Co-ordination of the Canadian NDEB Exams from 2016 onwards together with Sydney University. More details to follow up next year.

• Enhancing international and rural ties. We have been active on the rural front with respect to involvement in the policy planning process. This year we have also been admitted to the International Association of Dental Students (IADS) amongst other world-wide members. This has opened the doors to their several community and education programs which are now open for Australian students to undertake (subject to conditions).

• Shaping the new future. We had representatives from the ADSA Committee sitting and providing advice on the various committees and panels. Some of which include: ADA Dental Workforce and Planning Committee, ADA Recent Graduates Committee, Australian Dental Council, ADA Rural workforce and policy committee.

• Planning of the Australian Dental Student Leadership Awards. The awards are a novel initiative and will be launched in early 2016. More details to follow up next year.

I must say that ADSA Committee members in their various roles and capacities have gone above and beyond their roles. I would like to thank all of the committee members, the university representatives and the dental school student presidents who have supported us and worked with us this year. It was a busy year for us but the workload definitely had a fruitful output for the wider dental community. I would urge all the students to keep an eye out for various opportunities on the ADSA Facebook page, Articulate Newsletter and our website. The New Year will bring new gifts from the new ADSA committee so definitely stay tuned.

Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to work with you all. I have thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Yours sincerely,

Mohit Tolani President Australian Dental Students Association

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adsa

Australian Dental Students Association

twitter.com/ADSAMedia facebook.com/AusDSA instagram.com/ADSA2015 www.adsa.org.au PRESIDENT’S REPORT NOV 2015 / 05

ADSA UPDATES

2016 COMMITTEE Congratulations to the ADSA’s newly elected committee who will be stepping into their roles on January 1, 2016. Elections were held at James Cook University during the 2015 Annual General Meeting, For more information about each of the positions, visit www.adsa.org.au Let’s find out more about the new committee below:

CHERYL X. CHEN

President University of Queensland

Goals: My passion lies in the wellbeing of students - dentistry and oral health therapy are difficult degrees; a prime focus of ADSA should be on making students’ university lives as enjoyable and rewarding as possible.

As the ADSA President for the coming year of 2016, my primary aim is to increase the publicity of ADSA. We have a lot to offer: in addition to providing a voice for students and working to alleviate concerns both independently and with the relevant bodies, the ADSA is a means to learn more about issues affecting us now in the future, dental industry news, volunteer opportunities, scholarships and more.

For twenty-sixteen, I endeavour to continue the expansion and support of our programs, offering more new and exciting opportunities to students.

The next step, then, is to get the word out there, to broaden ADSA’s reach and increase accessibility.

The more people that get involved, the bigger and better our community can and will be. ADSA is about students supporting one another and growing together to be the dental professionals of the future.

There is so much opportunity out there, and it’s time to reach out and grab it!

About me: Former Melburnian, now a Brisbanite and still looking for a good jazz bar. If anyone knows of one in the Brisbane region - please, hit me up! In life outside of dentistry, you’ll often find me sipping tea, sketching, singing and/or grooving to ‘70s soul.

I also have a penchant for murder mysteries, movie musicals and meditation. And alliteration too, clearly.

06 / NOV 2015 NEW COMMITTEE 2016

NICOLE CONTEMPLACION Vice President Charles Sturt University

Goals: The ADSA is ever growing, bettering the students we represent, and solidifying our place in the dental community. As vice president for 2016, I aim to assist the president with any of their decision making processes, and am excited to work with the current committee to execute and achieve ADSA goals and campaigns.

Having previously worked as Media and Community Officer, community work is a priority to me. I’d like to work with the new Media and Community Officer, in reinforcing ADSA’s reach and presence at all dental schools and improving ADSA’s community projects, such as The Australian Red Cross Blood Drive, and R U Ok Day. About me: Before dentistry, I completed a Bachelor of Clinical Science at Charles Sturt University and am now in my 2nd year of dental school at CSU. I’m heavily involved in various university committees, such as the Creative Arts Club, the Student Dental Association, the Women’s Soccer Club, the Central Western Rural Health Society and Spectrum.

Outside of uni I like chilling with friends and family, finding new places to eat and drink, playing soccer, listening to music, and hitting up festivals and concerts. Some fun facts: I love Batman, Star Wars, coffee, food and of course partying!

ADSA UPDATES LAURENCE DOAN Treasurer University of Adelaide

LIZA (NELLIE) PRETORIUS

Secretary Central Queensland University

Goals: As Treasurer, I would be aiming to tackle the budget early and try to maintain it with each activity.

Alongside that, I will be promptly reimbursing members for their expenses. I’m passionate about good student experience - not only academically but also socially. That will be my focus for this year – trying to provide students with more opportunities.

Goals: As secretary I will strive to assist and support the ADSA president and other committee members in addition to promoting the ADSA’s objectives. I would also like to see an ongoing improvement in communication and collaboration between oral health therapy- and dental students, thus enhancing inter-professional respect.

About me: IT Officer – Insight 2014 & 2015; Community Aid General Committee Member – AUDSS 2014; Pharmacy Assistant – Chemistworks.

About me: In 2003 I obtained a Master’s degree in natural pain relief in orthodontic treatment, which sparked my interest in dentistry and prompted me to enrol in the Bachelor in Oral Health at CQUniversity in 2013. I was placed on the university’s Academic Merit List in 2013 and 2014, became a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society, and won an academic prize from Oral-B for the student with the highest score in Oral Pathology and Diagnosis in 2014. I am the 2015 CQUniversity student representative at the ADSA, and I am part of the Student Advisory Committee at CQUniversity.

My personality is fun, easy-going but competitive at times. I’m a major movie & TV buff. One of my other hobbies is bushwalking – some of the places I’ve checked to: Royal National Park, Mermaid Pools.

Outside of studies, travelling is great fun (when I save up enough money) – I’ve tackled some of Asia and USA already, next one would be Europe.

Life goals: Trying to make the most of what I’ve been given, though also don’t take life too seriously all the time. Fun fact: I don’t take liquor well. Those Asian genes in me.

HANNAH TRESTON Sponsorship James Cook University

I am open to new experiences and excited to see where life would lead me next; however, there are a few key areas I would like to get involved in. Firstly, I hope to stay on at CQUniversity as a part-time lecturer or clinical supervisor and conduct postgraduate study; secondly, I want to apply myself in a setting such as the Government sector where there is an ongoing need for qualified professionals, and; thirdly, I would love to do voluntary work in vulnerable populations.

Goals: I hope to continue the strong relationships Cherie Yam (Sponsorship Officer 2015) harboured with our generous sponsors over the past year. Sponsorship has to be mutually beneficial in order to be worthwhile; therefore it will be my personal goal to ensure current and future sponsors of ADSA are appropriately targeted and valuable to all dental students. We have a lot to gain from the wealth of experience and expertise that many of our sponsors acquire, so I hope to acknowledge the impact that all our sponsors have on the dental profession, now and into our graduated life.

About me: When I’m not running around the JCU dental clinic, you might find me on the dance floor, indulging in retail therapy, having a coffee (and a gossip) or planning my next holiday. I love a good party and I am a firm advocate of uni/life balance. This will be my second official role with ADSA after I thoroughly enjoyed coconvening the 2015 ADSA Convention in Cairns.

NEW COMMITTEE 2016 NOV 2015 / 07

ADSA UPDATES KAEJENN TCHIA Rural James Cook University

Goals: My primary goal as Rural Officer is to provide a range of opportunities to dental students across Australia in rural and remote health settings. I hope to also educate students about the importance and many benefits of rural placements. Having grown up in a rural area and worked in these dental settings as a dental assistant, I experienced and learnt many things I would not have otherwise gained from a metropolitan area. Lastly, I hope to inspire students to work in rural areas upon graduating to bridge the oral health gap and live a rewarding lifestyle I love so much.

About me: Born and raised in Darwin, NT, I am a second year dentistry student at James Cook University Cairns. When not engaged in my studies, I love to play music, relax in the company of friends and discover new foodie outlets. This will be my first role in ADSA and I cannot wait to engage with students and talk about the great things about rural health and the rural lifestyle!

AMY (AN TING) FAN Media & Community University of Queensland

Goals: In my role, I hope to keep the dental students of Australia informed about current issues facing the dental industry, as well as promote upcoming events and initiatives. Through the use of social media, students are able to have easy access to all the relevant information, and discuss topics which are of importance to our futures as dental professionals.

About me: When I’m not studying (ha!), I enjoy spending quality time with family and friends, eating delicious food, relaxing, listening to music and browsing on the Internet. Recently, I have also been raising a strawberry plant.

08 / NOV 2015 NEW COMMITTEE 2016

JOSHUA SOH

Website University of Adelaide

Goals: My goal is continue the great work of the previous website officers and keep you updated on all things dentistry.

About me: I’m the proud owner of a level 8 town hall in clash of clans. When not tending to my village I enjoy lifting heavy things up and putting them down. I also got 2048 once; a feat Einstein never accomplished so I guess that makes me a genius.

ANNA JIANG

Publications Griffith University

Goals: It is definitely a huge privilege to be able to join the ADSA team for 2016. In my role as publications officer I hope to continue the amazing work of Articulate, but also really help connect students across Australia, and give everyone the opportunity to enjoy and benefit from what ADSA has to offer.

About me: I’m currently doing my dentistry degree at Griffith University on the beautiful Gold Coast.

As much as I love dentistry, I also try to indulge myself adventure, and some random hobbies here and there. I always had a love for drawing (and yes I do draw other things other than tooth anatomy nowadays), and absolutely adore exploring different places and trying something different.

ADSA EVENTS

CONVENTION REPORT CAIRNS 2015 The ADSA Cairns Convention 2015 was wild to say the least. Dental student and even several recent graduates embarked on a week of fun from the 7th to the 13th of July in the tropical paradise that is Cairns, Queensland. With over 130 delegates ready to learn, network and inspire, James Cook University showed us everything their dental school and nightlife had to offer.

By Hannah Treston, Co-convenor experiences from Dr. Louise Hanrahan, Dr. Shelby Harris and Dr. Mike Chan (all JCU graduates). The hands-on implants workshop for dental students presented by MIS Implants was definitely a crowd pleaser.

Delegates were treated to nothing but sunshine and warmth on arrival in Cairns. As check in began at the Novotel Oasis Resort Cairns, students started to realize that this was going to be a convention like no other. In classic JCU-dentalstudent-style, it was decided the best way to introduce the delegates to Cairns was by throwing them on the Ultimate Party Bus. I’m sure I speak on behalf of the majority when I say this was the craziest Tuesday night I’ve ever had. From inter-university competitions that guaranteed a smile to dance offs that showed everyone’s inner Beyonce, it really was a great start to the week.

Wednesday morning saw an impressive turn out at James Cook University for the first day of lectures and workshops. Highlights from the day include streamed seminars from Professor Alan Nimmo (JCU) on The Role of Inflammation in Oral and Systemic Disease and recent graduate

To keep the party rolling, Wednesday night was Rumble in the Jungle at the Woolshed. Students donned anything from a monkey onsie to simply leaves covering the essentials for a night of fun, dance and friendship. Students broke away from their usual university packs and really got to know one another in the entertaining jungle that is the Woolshed Cairns.

There was no time to rest on Thursday, as it was time to hit up Fitzroy Island for an ADSA Convention exclusive. Departing Cairns bright and early, students had no idea what they were in for. To

ADSA EVENTS say the boat ride over was rough is the understatement of the Convention. Rain, wind, waves and pre-partied dental students was not a pleasant combination. Nevertheless, 45 minutes later we arrived to sun, sand and the Great Barrier Reef. Students had the opportunity to snorkel, paddleboard, kayak and even jump on an ocean trampoline. It truly was a magical day for all.

The magic didn’t end there. Thursday night saw another ADSA Convention exclusive at Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park. Students had time to relax and unwind after a day at the reef with the world-renowned interactive show presented by the talented traditional Tjapukai dancers. Learning traditional Aboriginal dance and song followed by a 4-course buffet meal left many students glad they booked their tickets to Cairns.

Friday morning, fresh-faced delegates were treated to an Outback Dental Experience from Associate Professor Robyn Boase (JCU). Many students agree that highlights from the Friday morning include Dr. Sheng Zhang’s (MIPS) presentation on Indemnity Case Studies of Recent Graduates and the Essential of Periodontics as a Young Graduate from Dr. Brian James (Cairns).

The real star of the day however was Dr. Myles Holt, Director of Australiasian Academy of DentoFacial Aesthetics (AADFA) and his presentation on Dento-Facial Aesthetics. With a live demonstration on the use of Botox and dermal fillers, many students were in awe of this exciting advancement in the dental profession. This was the first time an ADSA Convention had hosted such a seminar.

Group, Challenges Abroad, Around Good People and the National Dental Foundation spoke on their various opportunities for dental students.

It was difficult to decided on which streamed seminar to choose: Dr. Rhonda Coyne’s (Cairns) Orthodontics of Today and Professor Bob Jones’ (JCU) Modern Technology in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery were equally inspiring.

If students were worried the fun was over, Friday night proved them wrong. Recess – Back to School theme – saw students rekindle at the Pier Bar and then break it down at Lyquid Night Life.

For many, this was a school night with reports some delegates were in bed by 9pm; I wonder who that could have been?

To conclude what was an exhausting and exhilarating week, a Twilight Cocktail Party took place at the Hilton Cairns. In black and white theme, delegates were treated the sumptuous hors-doeurves and were enveloped by the effervescence of the numerous refreshments. Despite some delegates wishing to get their ‘Magic Mike’ on, everyone had a wonderful evening.

Saturday was bittersweet; students were excited for the Trade Show but disappointed that this was their last official day of Cairns Convention 2015. To kick the day off, Odyssey Specialist

On behalf of Michelle and the entire ADSA Cairns Convention committee, it truly was a pleasure to organize and participate in such an amazing experience with you all. Special thanks must

10 / NOV 2015 CAIRNS CONVENTION

ADSA EVENTS be made to the ADSA President, Mohit, and the ADSA committee including, James (Treasurer), Cherie (Sponsorship Officer), Cheryl (Publications Officer) and Nicole (Media and Communications Officer).

Michelle and I wish the 2016 ADSA Convention co-conveners all the best of luck and we cannot wait to see you all on the dance floor sometime soon.

CAIRNS CONVENTION NOV 2015 / 11

ADSA EVENTS

START THE CONVERSATION: An ADSA-sponsored event, R U OK? Day was held at dental and oral health schools across Australia to support of the health and wellbeing of students. (Hooray for free coffees!) Here’s a quick snippet of how the event rolled out at the University of Adelaide!

R U OK?

By Aleisha Bassett, University of Adelaide After the success of R U OK? Day last year the student affairs team decided to make the 2015 event last for an entire week. Each day from 12-1pm students gathered in the common room of the Adelaide Dental Hospital for a variety of snacks and refreshments. The smell of freshly cooked popcorn throughout the week attracted students to the basement from their lockers. The dedicated team took it in turns to bake special R U OK? Cookies and brownies every day and they were always the first to run out! Dr Lekkas deserves a special mention for baking TWICE during the week delicious Greek sweet and savoury dishes for the students that were absolutely amazing and had everyone wanting to come back for more!

This was the first year that we had invited staff of the dental school to join the event to come down and chat to the students about how they were going. Even the much loved, down to earth and ever enthusiastic new Dean Professor Lindsay Richards was able to make it down to the basement for some refreshments and casual conversation with the students.

There was face painting all week long and balloons to help students get into the spirit of the event. I even went to clinic with a smiley face painted on my arm up near my shoulder! Another student made his Adelaide University Dental Students Society election campaign video with an R U OK? Smiley face painted on his cheek. It is safe to say that the message reached a majority of the students.

A message board was set up to post positive messages and inspirational quotes on post it notes that students could either choose to add to or alternatively if they found one they liked they were encouraged to take it with them. We have decided to keep the message board up for the time being to allow students to continue to read all of the positive messages that have been shared.

12 / NOV 2015 R U OK DAY

ADSA EVENTS Thursday was the main event as National R U OK? Day and we had an extra special day instore with a fantastic selection of rolls, sandwiches, meat and cheese platters and perhaps the largest group of students in the basement for some time. You had to get in quick most of the food went in the first 5 mins!

Overall the week was a great success, it got students engaging with one another and talking about the big issues. It was at exactly the right time in the year in term three where everyone was starting to feel stressed, tired and run down. Some could say that it was just what the doctor ordered to get everyone through to the mid semester holiday.

A great big THANK YOU to ADSA Media & Community officer Nicole Contemplacion for her hard work and dedication in co-ordinating this year’s inaugural R U OK day event. We could not have done it without you!

We must also thank our enthusiastic ADSA University Representatives: Aleisha Bassett (UAdel), Liza Pretorius (CQU), Neil Sengupta (CSU), Lucy Davis (Curtin), Jessica Sun (Griffith), Daniel Frank (JCU), Varun Chopra (La Trobe), Velanni Martins (UoM), Lauren Church (UoN), Betty Cheregi (UQ), Darian Kuranaikumar (USyd) and Spencer Li (UWA), for organising the event at their respective universities.

Clockwise from to left: Central Queensland University, Griffith University, University of Newcastle, University of Western Australia, University of Melbourne, University of Adelaide, James Cook University, Charles Sturt University.

R U OK DAY NOV 2015 / 13

ADSA EVENTS

ADSA BLOOD DRIVE COMPETITION 2015

By Nicole Contemplacion, ADSA Media & Community Officer This years blood challenge brought some great enthusiasm and success from the dental and oral health students all across Australia. With a total of 100 donations, this equates to saving the lives of up to 300 people!

CONGRATULATIONS TO... THE UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE! Not only did they improve their results, but they went on to win the blood drive with 1/3 of the total donations coming from just their university! Shout out to Aleisha Bassett for encouraging her dental school to give big!

A huge thank you to the University Reps who went above and beyond promoting this campaign to improve their university donations from the previous year, and thank you to The Red Cross Blood Service for assisting us in organising this event!

Remember, the need for blood is on-going, so please continue to donate when you can.

14 / NOV 2015 BLOOD DRIVE RESULTS

ADSA EVENTS

BLOOD DRIVE RESULTS NOV 2015 / 15

A MESSAGE...

THANK YOU! It has truly been a wonderful year for ADSA. Here, on behalf of ADSA, we would like to send a big thank you out to all those who made it possible!

Our 2015 ADSA Committee this year has done a spectacular job.

Under the lead of President Mohit Tolani, and the Executive Team of Secretaries Nibir Hossain & Liza Pretorius who kept the inner workings on track and Treasurer James Zvirblis managing our accounts.

Sponsorship Officer Cherie Yam did a great job of gaining sponsorship for ADSA, with our number of sponsors rising to triple than that of 2014! Rural Officer Amika Bober has done a terrificly in representing ADSA in these regional and rural health sphere. The ADSA website has been well serviced under Website Officer Nathaniel Nowicki, and ADSA publications and promotions boosted by Publications Officer Cheryl X. Chen. A special shout-out to Media & Community Officer Nicole Contemplacion for working above and beyond in co-ordinating BOTH the ADSA Annual Blood Drive and our Inaugural R U OK day as well as in keeping our social media pumping.

Thank you to our JCU Cairns Convention Committee 2015 for their tireless efforts in the lead up and during this year’s wonderfully extravagant and successful convention. Most notably, Co-convenors Hannah Treston and Michelle Davidson, who gave their all to present us with a spectacular week filled with a balance of both learning and partying opportunities. Thank you also to the rest of the team for their contributions: Katia Albrecht, Emma Neibling, Julian Oronos, Cameron Suley, James Meurant, Max Milosevic, Sanjana Ilango, Senuri Amaraaweera, Sophie Roberts, Kaejenn Tchia, Tony Yang and Vinay Halasagi.

Also, thank you so much to our enthusiastic ADSA University Representatives: Aleisha Bassett (UAdel) Liza Pretorius (CQU) Neil Sengupta (CSU) Lucy Davis (Curtin) Jessica Sun (Griffith) Daniel Frank (JCU) Varun Chopra (La Trobe) Velanni Martins (UoM) Lauren Church (UoN) Betty Cheregi (UQ) Darian Kuranaikumar (USyd) Spencer Li (UWA), for the fantastic local organisation of events at their respective universities leading to their ultimate success.

16 / NOV 2015 A MESSAGE FROM ADSA: THANK YOU

A MESSAGE...

And finally, great big thank you to all our Sponsors, whose support is irreplaceable:

THANK YOU NOV 2015 / 17

UNI UPDATES

THE YEAR THAT WAS SEMESTER 2 University of Adelaide

What a year twenty-fifteen has been!

Let’s have a look at what dental and oral health schools across Australia have been up to throughout the last few months.

Aleisha Bassett

As always, the Midsummer Night’s Dream Grand Dental Ball held on August 22 was the highlight of the social calendar for both dentistry and oral health students.

The month of September had a student welfare and community aid focus with a week long R U OK? Week and the ADSA blood drive that ran from the 1st to the 30th. Determined to increase our participation from last year, there was a massive increase in promotion and dedication from the AUDSS. The student body pulled together and made more than 8 times the donations of 2014. What made it even more special was that most students posted their donation photos and shared their positive experiences in person and on Facebook to promote the cause. The number of first time donors was outstanding with many students now wanting to make regular visits to the donation centre!

Through September and October our academic lecture series, specialist society study clubs, exam revision sessions and practical workshops continued; students started volunteering with the National Dental Foundation for the first time; we welcomed our new committee and said our final goodbyes to the graduating class of 2015. We wish them all the best for 2016!

18 / NOV 2015 A LOOK AT 2016

Charles Sturt University Neil Sengupta

Rounding off the year at Charles Sturt University, there have been multiple activities organised for dental students by the Orange Student Dental Association (OSDA) and the ADSA. USyd visited the shores of CSU in May, looking to finally break their Roland Bryant Cup losing streak.

However, despite the introduction of a new sport (Dodgeball), CSU still managed to destroy Sydney University and take the Roland Bryant Cup for the 6th consecutive time! More impressively, Team CSU even won every single sporting discipline – collecting a clean sweep for the very first time. Hopefully Sydney University can come back stronger when we return to their home turf in 2016!

The OSDA Bar Night was once again very well attended; other events held during our second semester included the 2015 Halfway Ball, where the 3rd Years celebrated completing 50% of their degree. Dent Revue was another success, with multiple video submissions offering light-hearted perspectives towards life as a dental student.

ADSA was also involved with some great events at CSU. RU OK Day was organised in association with ADSA, where dental students were encouraged to come grab a free coffee and ask that all-important question to each other: “are you OK?” The annual ADSA Blood Drive also gained initiative during September, with dental students making the journey to the Red Cross Blood Bank in the hope of saving 3 lives or more.

UNI UPDATES Central Queensland University Liza Pretorius

Term two at Central Queensland University has flown by. The First Year students had a wonderful time at the RUOK morning that was hosted by the ADSA during residential school week. It provided an excellent opportunity for students of different year groups to mingle.

The Second Year students started doing restorations on adult patients. It was exciting to advance from oral examinations and hygiene appointments to doing inferior alveolar nerve blocks and infiltrations on ‘real’ patients (not each other!) Everyone coped really well and we are looking forward to next year when we will start treating paediatric patients. In addition, four Second Year students (Rachel Fairthorne, Jodi Maree Hall, Liza Pretorius and Katelyn Murray) had their academic achievements acknowledged by being inaugurated into the Golden Key International Honour Society.

The annual Third Year ball was held this term and it was a huge success. The Third Years definitely deserved a night out on the town after weeks of rotation between school dental clinics, orthodontic practices, the private clinic at CQUniversity and assisting during procedures under general anaesthesia at the Rockhampton Base Hospital.

All year groups are ready for the exciting challenges that will be faced next year; and as we congratulate those who graduated this year, we look forward to welcoming a new cohort of first year Oral Health Therapy students into the programme in 2016.

Griffith University Jessica Sun

With the start of the second academic semester, Griffith University dental students have been busier than ever.

Griffith University dental students took part in their traditional Medfin cup rivalry against UQ, where a close match left Griffith just short of taking home the glory. Despite this, the magic of the annual Dentistry “Yule” ball was one for the dental students to drink away their sorrows and dance the night away!

A series of academic seminars were held, ranging from patient communication by Dr. Lincoln Harris to specialised treatment of palatally-displaced canines (Dr. Devan Naidu). We have also been fortunate enough to have had guest speakers such as Dr. Glen Hughes give us his unique perspective on the big divide between metropolitan and rural dentistry, opening our minds to the possibility of selecting work based on personal fulfillment rather than the common deal breakers (salary and location). We were also enlightened by Dr. Nino Gullotta’s lecture on all we needed to know about Invisalign, relevant especially in this day and age where esthetics has become a priority for patients more than ever.

The start of October began with our bi-annual Tradeshow, where students got to meet our sponsors MIPS, DPL, BOQ specialists, ADEC, Challenges Abroad and Work the World to learn more about the companies and their relevance to their futures.

Not far behind we held the GUDSA Interfaculty Basketball tournament, another one of GUDSA sport’s highlights, which had each year fighting to the end for the title of the winning team. This was followed shortly by the “Inaugural White Coat” crawl which had dent students decked out in their white coat glory, trawling the pubs and clubs of Surfers Paradise in one final act of debauchery before the tsunami wave of exams.

A LOOK AT 2016 NOV 2015 / 19

UNI UPDATES James Cook University Daniel Frank

It’s crunch time here at JCU with each dental cohort only having a few more weeks of study to go before the academic year comes to a close! This semester, the first years have been working hard and getting oriented to the simulation clinic. The second years have been surviving the long hours in prosthodontics lab. Third and fourth year students have been busy seeing patients in the dental clinic, and fifth year students are enjoying their last placement before graduation and entering the workforce!

It hasn’t been all work and no play for dental students at JCU. Our annual dental ball held at the Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal was hugely successful! Catered by Nunu’s Restaurant owner and guest chef on MasterChef Australia, Nick Holloway. Students of the College of Medicine & Dentistry also came together for a fun filled Med and Dent mixer organized by JCUDSA. Both events were exceptional and a great opportunity to put down the books and have some fun!

JCUDSA has also been hard at work by hosting the ‘R U OK?’ day BBQ, in addition to promoting blood donation for the annual ADSA Blood Drive.

We would like to thank all students who attended the BBQ and those who altruistically donated blood!

We wish all students Australia-wide “Good Luck!” with the rest of the year and impending exam time.

La Trobe University Varun Chopra

Coming into the exam period here at La Trobe its hard to say where this year has gone, it was only yesterday when the fresh lot of first years were starting off on their university journey. Nevertheless, here we are, BOHDS had a great year, building on the already successful events of last year and introducing new events, like the BOHDS week, which included a pub crawl, lazer-tag, go-karting and much more. A tutoring program conducted by the third years was also introduced for first year students.

The biggest event of the second semester was the “On the Rocks” themed BOHDS Cocktail night, giving students and staff a chance to relax and let their hair down. BOHDS once again brought home the Club of the year award for their contribution in the wider community. With the students volunteering at local schools, instructing kids in oral hygiene, donating to the Tzu Chi foundation and running the BOHDS outreach program for the third time.

This has been a great year and 2016 should be even better. Congratulations to the graduating year and best of luck for the future!

20 / NOV 2015 A LOOK AT 2016

UNI UPDATES University of Newcastle Lauren Church

University of Melbourne Velanni Martins

Semester two kicked off with a nautical-themed Boat Cruise at the Yarra River organised by the Melbourne Dental Student’s Society. It was a night of seemingly endless fun, fist-pumping music and an interesting showcase of nautical costumes.

As the tradition here at the MDS goes, the second year students hosted the annual Cocktail Ball. This event is held to commemorate the achievement of the third year students in crossing the half-way mark to the completion of their degree. The ‘A MidSummer Night’s Dream’ theme saw everyone looking their best while enjoying crisp cocktails in the warm patio weather.

We all love a little healthy competition - at the 2nd Annual Dental Schools Victoria Sports Cup, we shed the niceties and slapped on the war paint to compete against La Trobe Dental School in basketball, netball, volleyball, soccer and dodgeball!

Despite tough competition, we snagged the win in all five sports and earned the DSV Cup and champions’ title for the second year in row.

This year was a year for new beginnings for the students of the University of Newcastle with the introduction of the new Oral Health Therapy degree and with it a new purpose built sim clinic. Second semester saw the clinic being used to its full potential and first years could finally start to get their hands dirty in the sim man’s mouth both for hygiene and therapy components.

But what is all this work for without a bit of fun? We are students after all! This semester the students have enjoyed a Sydney pub crawl with a party bus being the only way to travel (naturally)! We have also had successful food get together on campus to catch up and de-stress which have included an OHT BBQ, RU ok? Day and an end of semester pizza day. Our end of year cocktail night will culminate the year and we can say goodbye to our third years, and first years can celebrate they survived their first!

This semester has truly been an adventure for not only the students, but the staff as well.

For those looking to broaden their horizons, the MDSS organized a panel-style Mentor Night. The discussion panel boasted a plethora of speakers from all the dental specialities, recent graduates and an oral health therapist. The speakers told inspirational stories and infused in us just the dose of motivation and realism needed.

And, then, the most anticipated event of the year: The Grand Dental Ball! Usually having students in a frenzied excitement months before, it starts with whispers about the possible theme, followed by the ticket-sales madness and then a SOLD-OUT event. The ‘Fire and Ice’- themed night was one of elegance and spectacle. As the final event of the year, the current MDSS committee were honored for their contribution to the society and the baton was passed to the newly elected 2016 committee.

We look forward to what’s in store for the New Year!

A LOOK AT 2016 NOV 2015 / 21

UNI UPDATES University of Queensland Betty Cheregi

Twenty-fifteen has seen the UQ Dental School pack up and move to the brand new Oral Health Center in Herston. While at the start of the year the OHC was filled with laughter and excitement, the stress that comes with exams has now taken over, seeing students hidden away and catching up on a semester’s worth of study in record time.

However, as the year comes to an end we take a look back on all the social events of 2015. The year started out with a dancing-fueled meet and greet, setting the standard for all events that followed.

Students partied hard during the toy-box themed cruise and the ‘A Night Under the Stars’ themed Annual Dental Ball finished with a bang. 2015 also saw UQ Dentistry take out the Medfin Cup against Griffith Dentistry, once again coming out victorious.

We hosted our first R U OK? Day with free coffee vouchers, a sausage sizzle and giant board games for the inner child. Lunch and Learn Seminars and Tradeshows made a comeback along with the Annual Sport’s day, seeing our competitive sides come out.

All in all, 2015 has been a very successful year for UQDSA and the opening of the OHC. We wish all students the best of luck in preparing for exams and congratulate everyone graduating at the end of the year. Thank you all for an amazing 2015!

University of Sydney Darian Karunaikumar

Despite a hectic as usual academic calendar, Sydney dental and oral health students have had plenty of opportunity to socialise, play sport and party up.

The 2015 Dental Ball was a sold-out event at the exclusive Ivy Sunroom with plenty of canapés, drinks, a DJ, dance floor and photo booth and had our students ditch the wine scrubs for dresses and suits, and, well… actual wine. Thanks to the DMD3 social reps for organising a fantastic night.

The quad-faculty men’s rugby and women’s touch football competition against the Medical, Pharmacy and Veterinary faculties was as always a great show of the dental team spirit and sportsmanship.

We have seen a solid increase in the amount of donors this year for the ADSA Blood Drive. Thanks to all that participated and we hope that even more people donate in the future. Remember, just because the Challenge is over, doesn’t mean you should stop donating. So many are in need compared to the number of donors out there so please consider making it a regular habit!

Soon to come: End of exams! As well as the DMD4 Grad Ball and DMD2 Halfway Ball.

Wishing students all the very best with upcoming assessments.

22 / NOV 2015 A LOOK AT 2016

UNI UPDATES

University of Western Australia Spencer Li

Semester 2 has flown by, with plenty of exciting changes and events. UDSS has been active all year, continually trying to improve conditions at the dental school. This semester saw many efforts come to fruition. They’ve been successful in lobbying for better Wifi access, negotiated student discounts at local cafes, and replaced the broken cues for the pool table. Most notably, UDSS was successful in their application for a $30,000 grant to renovate the common room. With additional support from the School of Dentistry, the common room is planned to receive a much needed new carpet, functional microwaves and projectors. I’m sure all students are anticipating the new common room in 2016.

UDSS also held several fantastic events, including the annual GV Black’s Cocktail Party held this year at Llama Bar, the UDSS pool tournament, and UDSS Sports Day. The recent gangster-themed quiz night proved popular, with a win for the fifth year Mafia who narrowly beat the third year Bloods and Crips in the last round. There was also significant participation in the R U OK Day event, with sponsored free flat whites from ADSA. And for the first time in a long time, there was a delegation of UWA students at ADSA’s Convention! We’re hopeful that this is only the start.

Although we’re in the thick of studying for exams, I can guarantee that everyone is looking forward to celebrating the end of another academic year at the Dental Dinner: Vegas Style. With so many positive changes in 2015, we’re looking forward to what 2016 has to bring.

A LOOK AT 2016 NOV 2015 / 23

RURAL NEWS

RURAL UPDATES Interested in rural dentistry? There are many opportunities around to help you become involved. Check them out below.

By Amika Bober, ADSA Rural Officer

INTERNATIONAL AFFILIATION The ADSA committee have been working hard to make our presence known internationally. We are pleased to announce that we have officially been affiliated with the International Association of Dental Students (IADS), this will hopefully extend to a membership in the near future. Becoming affiliated with an International body will open up connections

and opportunities for all students. We are excited to be representing the Australian Dental Student body and we hope that this affiliation will not only expand the dental students’ network, but will also give us an insight to achievements and goals of the IADS committee. Look out for updates on IADS’ movements and opportunities for you to get involved with an International Organisation.

VOLUNTARY DENTAL GRADUATE YEAR PROGRAM (VDGYP) & ORAL HEALTH THERAPIST GRADUATE YEAR PROGRAM (OHTGYP) Due to regrettable funding cuts under the 2015-16 Federal Budget, the Voluntary Dental Graduate Year Program (VDGYP) and Oral Health Therapist Graduate Year Programs (OHTGYP) have been cancelled for future years.

Previously, 50 participants were chosen every year to work and be mentored by dental clinicians in the remote and regional areas of our wider communitites.

ADSA is disappointed at the axing of these pro-

24 / NOV 2015 RURAL UPDATES

grammes as they not only offered recent graduates an invaluble opportunity to undertake a challenging program that enhanced their knowledge and understanding of working in rural and remote communities, but also to deliver much needed dental services to the regional public.

The withdrawal of these programs is, unfortunately, likely to impact the workforce opportunities for graduating dentists, as well as the delivery of dental services where they are needed most.

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YOUR STORY

BRINGING BACK THE SMILES TO THE VILLAGERS IN CAMBODIA A country where more than 20% of people live below the poverty line, Cambodia faces a vast amount of social issues. One of these is oral health generally being overlooked and the quality of care lacking in many parts of the country.

Following a HIV outbreak in Battambang last year where 277 people allegedly contracted the virus after an unlicensed doctor re-used syringes, there has been a crackdown in the health sector. More than 200 illegal dental clinics have been closed in the capital of Cambodia this year alone by the Phnom Penh Municipal Health Department.

The dentists at these clinics did not hold any dentist certificates or possess any technical skills, instead having been handed the reigns by their parents.

Aside from the issue of unlicensed, untrained dentists, there is also the problem that many people are unable to afford dental treatment and are lacking in education when it comes to prevention of dental diseases.

This is where Human and Hope Association come in. A grassroots organization in Siem Reap, Cambodia, they aim to empower Cambodians to create sustainable futures through grassroots projects run by a dedicated team of locals. Their education, vocational training and community support projects intend to lift their community members out of poverty not by giving direct aid, but by educating them to have the skills and knowledge necessary to improve their quality of living.

26 / NOV 2015 HOPE & HEALTH ASSOCIATION

Human and Hope Association incorporate dental hygiene into their preschool class daily, with their five-year old students brushing their teeth at the start of every lesson. Education and Community Manager, Loeum Salin, says “One of the students had never brushed her teeth before. She cried and cried for many times, but now she loves to brush her teeth.” Additionally, they run hygiene workshops every six months for their students, explaining the importance of dental upkeep, the problems that will occur if they don’t take care of their teeth and the correct tooth brushing techniques.

Of course, their students still have years of damage already in place, so in July this year the Angkor Dental Association, a local clinic, visited Human

YOUR STORY

and Hope association to provide dental check ups for all their students and staff. “We are aware that in Cambodia access to oral health services does not exist for the for the people living in the villages.

Teeth are often left untreated or extracted because of pain or discomfort. We are pleased to be able to fund this project to assist the people of Cambodia to live a healthier life”, said Robyn Leeman from the Beleura Retirement Village Social Club in Victoria who funded the clinic.

Operations Manager at Human and Hope Association, Australian Sally Hetherington says, “It is a long journey ahead to improve the dental health of our community. However with perseverance and educating the youth in our villages on this topic, we are sure to see a reduction in dental diseases.”

Human and Hope Association need your support to continue their education and community projects, making villagers more aware of issues such as hygiene, domestic violence and child protection.

To make a tax-deductible donation, visit www.wra.org.au/1432hha.

To find out further information about HHA’s work in Cambodia, visit www.humanandhopeassociation.org.

HOPE & HEALTH ASSOCIATION NOV 2015 / 27

adsa

Australian Dental Students Association

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