diaustralia magazine - summer 2015

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Hilton Hotels Discounts For The Dental Industry

Summer 2015-16 ■ Page 1

THIS EDITION —

Agenda Setting

ADIA’s Leadership recognises the value of member support Page 2

Business Intelligence

Expenditure on dental care tops $8.9 billion Page 4Business sentiment subdued by dollar’s fall Page 8Latest dental workforce statistics Page 15

Policy Advocacy

Turnbull ministry gets down to business Page 5FTAs to support business profitability Page 9TGA fee changes hit industry hard Page 10National science and innovation agenda Page 14

Association News

An association that is at its pinnacle in its ninetieth year Page 6Recognising the industry’s great contributors Page 12Code comparative advertising guidelines Page 13ADX16 Sydney exhibition sells out Page 16

DI Australia Magazine

Published By —

Australian Dental Industry Association Limited National Office: GPO Box 960, Sydney, NSW, 2001 Government Affairs: GPO Box 1, Canberra, ACT, 2601 t: 1300 943 094 f: 1300 943 794

Editor —

Elise Mizzi, ADIA Communications Officer

Contributions —

Industry news should be sent via email to [email protected]

Advertising —

Enquiries concerning advertising can be made by telephoning 1300 943 094.

Disclaimer —

The opinions expressed within are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect ADIA policy. The statements, regulatory and technical information contained herein are believed to be accurate at the time of publication thus may be subject to subsequent change and are provided for information purposes only. Readers are responsible for assessing its relevance and verifying the accuracy of the content. To the fullest extent permitted by law, ADIA will not be held liable for any loss, damage cost or expense incurred or in relation to or arising as a result of relying on the information presented here.

ADIA Chief Executive’s Introduction

As this year draws to a close and the 2016 workplan takes shape, it’s amazing just how much of the work of the Australian Dental Industry Association (ADIA) depends on hard, reliable data. From policy advocacy to management of ADX16 Sydney, Australia’s premier dental event, planning relies on data from many sources.

It’s pleasing that the data published by ADIA is valued so highly by members. In this edition of DI Australia we publish data on the nation’s expenditure on dental care and the size of the dental workforce. Along with the ADIA Australian Dental Products Business Conditions Survey this research is amongst the most downloaded documents from the ADIA website. Data collection and publication will be a feature of our work in 2016 as the scope of the proposed ADIA Dental Industry Salary Survey is being refined and the nation’s most authoritative assessment on the market for dental products, the ADIA Australian Dental Industry Intelligence Report, will again be published. Using the research published by ADIA, members can make informed decisions about their direction of their business and plan with confidence the strategies that will allow them to grow, create jobs and operate sustainably.

Government also relies on the data published by ADIA and the work that Deloitte Access Economics is undertaking on our behalf to assess the additional red tape burden presented by recent changes to Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is keenly awaited by Ministers and their advisors.

As the former Hewlett-Packard Chief Executive and now aspiring US Presidential Candidate, Carly Fiorina, said ... the goal is to turn data into information, and information into insight. That seems like a noble objective for ADIA to support our members in the year ahead.

Troy R Williams FAIM MAICD

ADIA Chief Executive Officer

ADIA Strategic Affiliations

■ Summer 2015-16

With a membership base of businesses that supply more than ninety-five percent of the products used by dentists and allied oral healthcare professionals, the Australian Dental Industry Association (ADIA) is recognised by stakeholders across government, industry and the healthcare profession as the sectors’ peak business organisation. ADIA’s national leadership team is leveraging this position and the strength of ADIA’s network of industry volunteers to secure outcomes that benefit members’ businesses and the broader business community.

Elected to the role of ADIA National President in November 2014, Mr Mike Covey is the Managing Director of Henry Schein Halas, the nation’s largest supplier of dental products. Having trained as an optometrist, Mike moved over to the dental industry ten years ago and has been active in ADIA for a lot of that time. In discussing his experience in the dental industry and the association, Mike commented on the strength of an association that represents member businesses and why he sought a leadership position last year.

“ADIA is a unique organisation that enjoys clarity of purpose, broad and enduring member support, and a cohesive, proficient board which is all backed by a highly professional national office. It is therefore a genuine privilege to play a leadership role and assist in providing the guidance necessary to identify the key issues important to our members and make sure the Association continuously delivers,” Mike said.

Agenda Setting —

ADIA’s Leadership Recognises The Value Of Member Support

Cognisant of ADIA’s profile and strong links with government and external stakeholders, Mike sees ADIA using its position of influence to support all stakeholders in the dental community.

“The dental industry has a lot to offer through the work and unity of the Association. I am not just talking about ourselves, though – together we have a lot to offer our customer base and, more broadly speaking, the oral health outcomes of the Australian population. As members of ADIA, we work collaboratively with so many different bodies that it was a natural progression for me as an individual in the profession to get more involved.”

In this regard a key priority is to strengthen ADIA’s relationships with key stakeholders including the Australian Dental Association (ADA) and the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons (RACDS), in addition to allied groups such as those representing prosthetists, dental technicians, assistants, practice managers, hygienists and oral health therapists. The ADIA Stakeholder Engagement Strategy provides the framework in which ADIA works with other stakeholders in the dental community to progress matters of shared interest, such as increasing private sector demand for dental services.

“Businesses across the dental industry only genuinely prosper when there is sustained demand for dental and oral healthcare. Similarly, dentists and oral healthcare professionals depend on the industry for the introduction of new and innovative products to achieve quality outcomes for patients. It’s a genuinely symbiotic relationship and a major priority is to use ADIA’s position of influence to benefit Australia’s entire dental community,” Mike said.

An important opportunity to bring key stakeholders together comes in June every year when ADIA holds a series of round-table meetings in parliament house, Canberra. Those who have attended these meetings

“It’s something we do particularly well, and they are important initiatives. The exhibitions are not just about the immediate service they give your business, they also provide us – as both business people and an Association – the opportunity to build initiatives for the future as we engage with thousands of people in one place over a few days.”

Ultimately, it is the active collaboration between members and stakeholders that Mike and Phil believe will help the overall business environment. While member businesses have different preferences on how they choose to involve themselves with ADIA’s activities, both agree that there is no shortage of choices.

“The strength and growth of ADIA is linked directly to our members’ employees who volunteer so much of their time to help ADIA achieve its goals,” says Phil.

“There’s no shortage of ways to participate either,” Mike elaborates.

“The state branch briefings are fantastic not just to catch up with people but to get those bites of information that help you make decisions in your business. That extends to the committees, or for something a bit less demanding, the interest groups which have been relaunched this year. Members in different branches are even working together to start social groups, which is indicative of the camaraderie that exists between members when we all get together,” Mike said.

Of particular interest to both Mike and Phil is the work of ADIA national committees where employees of member companies come together and contribute to the development of training courses, the policy that ADIA advocates, the statistics that are published, the exhibitions that ADIA runs and other services to members.

“If you want to contribute to ADIA this is a great way to get in and make a difference. It’s also an ideal stepping-stone for industry figures wishing to take a leadership role within ADIA. Almost all of our Board members have served on an ADIA national committee at some point in their career,” Mike says.

Both Mike and Phil will serve two year roles in their respective positions and hope to leave their mark.

“When you’re in business, over time you learn so much not just from your own work but that of others: who you work with, who you work alongside, who you compete with,” Phil explains. “In itself that breadth of experience is easily transferred into an Association, you can take that experience and knowledge to help ADIA grow. So my aim when I eventually step out is to ask myself, ‘Is the ADIA a bit better than when I came in?’ And if it is, then I have done my job.”

Mike agrees and looks forward to departing in an environment where member businesses are in a better position to be able to grow, create jobs and operate sustainably as a result of initiatives that ADIA has developed jointly with key stakeholders.


in the past include the Minister for Health, the Minister for Small Business to the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister – indeed, even the former Prime Minister, the Hon Tony Abbott MP, has dropped in prior to his departure from office. Several Ministers have attended along with the leadership of the ADA, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and key government departments.

ADIA’s ability to be a strong advocate for dental product manufacturers and suppliers is something of which members can be proud according to Mike.

“At ADIA we are fortunate to have a team in the ADIA national office that have great connections with politicians from across the political spectrum, augmented with strong relationships with senior public servants. These linkages empower our members, they really do. Members determine policy via the ADIA national committees which the Chief Executive Officer and his team take to Canberra. Few organisations in the dental community enjoy the levels of access and influence that ADIA members benefit from,” Mike says.

ADIA also uses the ADX Sydney dental exhibition, the nation’s largest healthcare tradeshow, to bring stakeholders together. This aspect of the association is something of particular importance to the new ADIA National Vice President, Mr Phil Jolly, who is Ivoclar Vivadent’s Senior Manager for New Business Development in the Asia Pacific, and a former Managing Director of Ivoclar Vivadent in Australia. Having had twenty years of experience in the dental industry, Phil counts eighteen years of active involvement with ADIA, including as Chair of the ADIA-DEC Dental Exhibitions Committee.

For Phil, serving on ADIA’s national executive is an opportunity to return something to an industry that’s given him so such and this is particularly relevant with exhibitions.

“The ADX Sydney exhibition is the only event that brings virtually every association in the dental and oral healthcare sector together. Whether it is to deliver a part of the continuing professional program or as exhibitors, it is pleasing to see them all there and it’s something ADIA is happy to support,” Phil said.

Mike continues, “The ADIA exhibitions, particularly the ADX Sydney exhibitions, are a sign of good relations with the professional bodies. They are a key interaction for everyone in the industry and the closer we are with the dental profession the better it is for our industry, as we are partners in the delivery of oral health solutions for the Australian public.”

The success of ADX Sydney is widely recognised as being underpinned by the fact that it’s being staged by industry for industry. The contribution that members make to ADX Sydney is outstanding and now being replicated at a regional level. The initiative of ADIA State Branches in Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia to bring together a regional dental show in their respective states this earlier year highlights how member-driven activities support businesses, and Phil reflects on the importance of ADIA exhibitions.

Picture: ADIA National President, Mike Covey [L] & ADIA National Vice President, Phil Jolly [R]

■ Summer 2015-16

The Australian Government’s national agency for health and welfare statistics and information, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has published its latest report on national health expenditure. This offers a number of key estimates of how much was spent on health in the ten years between FY2003–04 and FY2013–14.

Overall, the nation’s expenditure on dental services has climbed being $8,595 million in FY2011-12, $8,819 million in FY2012-13 and $8,934 million in FY2013-14. The following break down assesses some of the major contributors to dental services expenditure.

Individual Private Expenditure —

In FY2013–14, individuals spent an estimated $27,700 million in recurrent funding for health goods and services of which $5,336 million (19.2%) was for dental services. The average individual recurrent health expenditure per person (at constant prices) was $229 per person, an increase of $5 per person or 2.5% over the previous year. In the ten years over FY2003-04 to FY2013-14 average annual growth was 0.9%.

Private Health Expenditure —

Funding for dental services by private health insurance funds in FY2013–14 was $1,547 million, some 12.0% of the $12,877 million in current health expenditure by private health insurance funds. This figure is determined by taking the gross benefits paid of $2,210 million, deducting the premium rebates (includes rebates paid through the tax system as well as rebates paid to funds plus change in provisions for outstanding claims) of $664 million to arrive at $1,547 million (the minor difference is due to rounding). The corresponding figure for FY2012-13 was $2,154 million or 11.7% of the total $12,122 million in recurrent funding for health goods and services.

Australian Government Expenditure —

Australian Government outlay on dental services (excluding the Department of Veterans Affairs expenditure) continued to decline as it was $503 million in FY2013-14, $854 million in FY2012-13 and $984 million in FY2011-12.

State / Territory Government Expenditure —

Expenditure by State / Territory Governments on dental services was $713 million in FY2013-14, up 7.1% from the previous year; however still below the peak of $770 million in FY2011-13. In the ten years over FY2003-04 to FY2013-14 average annual growth was only 1.6%.

Department of Veterans Affairs Expenditure —

Australian Government Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) funding for dental services provided to eligible veterans and their dependants was $109 million in FY2013-14.

From a public policy perspective it is interesting to note that the AIHW has suggested that there is some, in its view, overestimation of health expenditure in the dental area. The AIHW argument is that expenditure on orthodontics is included in dental expenditure, but the principal purpose of some of this expenditure is cosmetic and health is a secondary purpose. Thus the AIHW has suggested that some of it should probably not be part of health expenditure.

A copy of the full report entitled Health & Welfare Expenditure Series N0 53 - Health Expenditure Australia 2013-14 is available from the ADIA online library.

Business Intelligence —

Expenditure On Dental Care Tops $8.9 BillionRecent research has shown that the nation’s expenditure has increased to $8.9 billion and this growth is sustained which is viewed as good news for ADIA member businesses that supply products to dental practices and the public health system.

Funding for dental services private health insurance funds in FY2013–14 was $1,547m, some 12.0% of the $12,877m in current health expenditure by private health insurance funds. The year before it was $2,154m or 11.7% of the total $12,122m in current health expenditure by private health insurance funds.

Annual growth in dental expenditure in constant prices

FY2003-04 to FY2004-05 9.2%

FY2004-05 to FY2005-06 5.6%

FY2005-06 to FY2006-07 7.0%

FY2006-07 to FY2007-08 6.2%

FY2007-08 to FY2008-09 10.7%

FY2008-09 to FY2009-10 7.5%

FY2009-10 to FY2010-11 8.1%

FY2010-11 to FY2011-12 6.1%

FY2011-12 to FY2012-13 4.4%

FY2012-13 to FY2013-14 2.4%


On the morning of Monday, 14 September 2015, the nation’s radio news programs repeated what had become routine speculation on a change of national leadership; however, this time it was different as by the next morning a new Prime Minister was in place. Just as swift in the change of power was the changed nature of the national economic debate which moved beyond a narrow focus on balancing the budget to a broader reform agenda. The focus was now on getting back to fundamentals and lifting productivity. There was a recognition that the nation needed to be more innovative and more competitive.

Shortly after taking office the new Prime Minister, the Hon. Malcolm Turnbull MP, advised the Australian Dental Industry Association (ADIA) that “to succeed in a rapidly expanding global market and to remain a high wage, generous social welfare, net first-world economy we need to be more agile, creative, productive and innovative”. These sentiment have been echoed by a number of key appointments who have welcomed the opportunity to work with ADIA.

Hon. Scott Morrison MP — Treasurer

From a business perspective there is no more important role than that of Treasurer, with the Hon. Scott Morrison MP taking on the dual challenges of managing the economy and the budget. Last month the Treasurer said he looked forward to working with ADIA and that his “ambition is to ignite Australian’s economic aspiration to drive the confidence that is necessary to underpin growth”.

Hon. Christopher Pyne MP — Minister for Industry, Innovation & Science

A welcome appointment was that of the Hon. Christopher Pyne MP who became Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science. In November 2015 the Minister formally recognised that “ADIA contributes so significantly to the health and wellbeing of Australians and the economy”. Given Mr Pyne’s responsibility for the National Science and Innovation Agenda that has a strong focus on getting health and medical research out of the laboratory and into the marketplace, this is a key appointment for the dental industry.

Hon. Peter Hendy MP — Assistant Minister for Productivity

ADIA’s focus on creating an environment where businesses in the dental industry can grow, create jobs and operate sustainably align well with the responsibilities of the new Assistant Minister for Productivity, the Hon. Peter Hendy MP. The Assistant Minister has not only advised ADIA that his focus will be on “removing regulatory barriers to growth and innovation” but also that he “looks forward to ADIA’s help and good counsel” in this task.

Sen. Hon. Arthur Sinodinos AO — Cabinet Secretary

The elevation of Sen. Hon. Arthur Sinodinos AO as Cabinet Secretary, a portfolio for the preparation and management of cabinet business, was recognised by all stakeholders as wise given his experience as a widely respected Chief of Staff to former Prime Minister Howard. Sen. Sinodinos has advised that he looks forward to working with ADIA to create opportunities for business.

One of the Ministers to retain their portfolio in the front-bench reshuffle was the Health Minister, the Hon. Sussan Ley MP. Since the change of leadership in September 2015, ADIA has continued its high-level engagement with the Health Minister via informal discussions and the Ministerial Health Industry Forum that convenes in Parliament House. ADIA is the dental sector’s only representative on that forum.

The change in political leadership has contributed to improving business sentiment, something dubbed the “Turnbull effect” by Ms Kate Carnell AO, CEO of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Australian Chamber Business Expectations Survey for the September 2015 quarter showed that after a difficult start to 2015, business conditions and confidence are improving. The challenge for the new Ministers will be to deliver the reforms that support the businesses manufacturing and supplying dental products across Australia.

Policy Advocacy —

Turnbull Ministry Gets Down To BusinessThe abrupt but not entirely unexpected change of political leadership in September 2015 has provided an opportunity for ADIA to further raise awareness of the policy reforms that will support the businesses across the dental industry.

Shortly after taking office the new Prime Minister, the

Hon. Malcolm Turnbull MP, advised ADIA that “to succeed in

a rapidly expanding global market and to remain a high wage,

generous social welfare net, first-world economy we need to be

more agile, creative, productive and innovative”.

- PictureGovernor General Sir Peter Cosgrove

With The First Turnbull Ministry

■ Summer 2015-16

Association News —

An Associations That Is At Its Pinnacle In Its Ninetieth Year

Throughout 2015, the Australian Dental Industry Association (ADIA) has held a number of events to commemorate its ninetieth anniversary. In this edition of DI Australia, we look back at the Association’s history.

Over four days in late July 1925 the representatives of eleven companies met and agreed to form the Australian Dental Trade Association (ADTA). This meeting of representatives from manufacturers and suppliers of dental products resolved and accepted “that in order to promote the interest of the dental trade in Australia it is necessary to form an association of dental traders to stabilise the conditions of trade”. Ninety years later we celebrate the commitment of those individuals (pictured above) in addition to the people and businesses today that have ensured that ADIA continues to be the peak business organisation representing manufacturers and suppliers of quality dental products and services to dental professionals.

In 1925 the objectives of the association included obtaining data on the market for dental products and it is therefore significant that, in our ninetieth year, with the ADIA Australian Dental Industry Intelligence Report, we again publish the most authoritative assessment of the Australian market for dental products.

In the year before the 1929 stock market crash, an event which triggered the Great Depression, the association’s conference noted the need for an assessment of market conditions which were deteriorating. Today, we publish the ADIA Dental Products Business Conditions Survey to provide member businesses with a quarterly insight into current business conditions and future expectations.

In the midst of the Great Depression of the early 1930s the association met infrequently but had become more active towards the end of that decade. The real possibility of war was recognised and at the 1939 conference a resolution was passed that “members be requested to give every assistance to their employees to take on military service”.

When war broke out, the business of the Association was suspended and the importation and distribution of dental products was taken over by the armed services, primarily the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

After the war the Bureau of Dental Standards was formed to measure and classify dental products. Based at Melbourne University’s dental school, this organisation was based upon the American Bureau of Standards and, to some extent, was the forerunner of the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), today’s Australian Government regulator of therapeutic products. The association continued to grow throughout the 1950s and 1960s, along with the relationship with the Australian Dental Association (ADA) which was founded nationally three years after the ADTA. The strengthening cooperation between ADTA and ADA was reflected in the formation of the Australian Dental Research Foundation (ADRF) in 1970. A joint ADTA and ADA initiative, this body remains the primary funding body for dental and oral health research in Australia.

Another area of ADTA and ADA cooperation has been in the conduct of trade shows, with the first trade show convened by ADTA in conjunction with an ADA congress occurring in the late 1930s. This practice continued until early into the new millennium. Exhibitions in those days were modest affairs and in the 1980s there were around fifty booths, growing to more than one hundred and fifty by the turn of the twenty-first century – events that seem small by comparison with today’s ADIA-managed exhibitions which includes more than four hundred booths.


Australia’s premier event, the ADX Sydney dental exhibition was first convened in 2006. Held biennially, it today attracts more than eight thousand stakeholders from across the dental community. It is Australia’s largest healthcare trade show.

In 1985, the association’s sixtieth year, the name the Australian Dental Industry Association (ADIA) was adopted, recognising the fact that the association’s membership was growing beyond dental product manufacturers and suppliers. A new constitution was adopted and the organisation registered under the Associations Incorporation Act (Vic) 1981. This framework served ADIA well; however, to accommodate appropriate levels of corporate governance and financial oversight required for a growing national organisation, in 2014 the association became a company limited by guarantee operating under the Corporations Act (Cth) 2001.

Recognising that the fortunes of Australia’s dental industry were tied to that of the sector’s growth globally, ADIA was a founding member of the association of International Dental Manufacturers (IDM). Since its first meeting held in 1988, in Washington DC, (United States of America), IDM has matured into an independent umbrella organisation to globally represent the common interests of member bodies, including ADIA.

The introduction of the Therapeutic Goods Act (Cth) 1989 and in 2002 the subordinate regulations for medical devices greatly changed the legal framework for the manufacture and sale of dental products. Today, the TGA presents the dental industry with arguably an unnecessarily complex set of regulatory standards.

With increased government oversight of the dental industry’s operations, ADIA took a number of steps to strengthen its policy advocacy activities. In 2012 ADIA joined the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), the nation’s foremost grouping of large industry associations augmented by each of the state and territory chambers of commerce. The ADIA-ACCI affiliation has served to greatly strengthen ADIA’s policy advocacy capacity. Also in that year, ADIA inaugurated the Dental Industry Meets Parliament initiative where at a small round-table forum convened by ADIA in Parliament House, Canberra. This forum permits representatives of selected member businesses to meet with a range of senior politicians ranging from Cabinet Ministers, junior Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries.

Today, ADIA members supply more than 95% of all products used in contemporary Australian dentistry. A surge in applications over the past five years sees membership at record levels and the association has never been financially more secure.

In ADIA’s ninetieth year, at dinners held throughout the nation, employees of ADIA member businesses and the leadership of the organisation representing dental professionals came together to celebrate our past and pay tribute to the many individuals and businesses that have served to build the association and, through this, Australia’s dental industry.

Pictures: ADIA’s First Board Meeting In 1925 [Top Left] The Ninetieth Anniversary Dinners in 2015 [Right] - Pictures

ADIA Ninetieth Anniversary Celebrations Held Nationwide

■ Summer 2015-16

The Australian Dental Industry Association (ADIA) produces the ADIA Dental Industry Business Conditions Survey using feedback from the businesses that supply products and services to dentists and allied oral healthcare professionals. Business sentiment on current conditions and future expectations is analysed on a quarterly basis across a number of key indicators.

Results of the latest ADIA Dental Products Business Conditions Survey have indicated that businesses in the dental industry, overall, have positive sentiment regarding the first quarter of the 2015-16 financial year with selling prices and sales volumes continuing to rise across the sector.

Commentary included as part of the survey showed that businesses attributed this result to initiatives such as new product lines, government tax incentives and promotional campaigns; however this sentiment was dampened somewhat by the drops during the quarter in the Australian dollar against the Euro and the US Dollar.

Key findings for the survey of actual business conditions —

The dental product sales and services composite index which measures both selling prices and selling volumes sentiment remains in positive territory albeit falling from 67.6 to 58.9 in the first quarter for FY2015-16; and

The dental business costs composite index which measures both input (manufacturing / wholesale buying prices) costs and administrative overheads was 71.0 – little movement from the FY2014-15 fourth quarter reading of 71.6 and indicating that businesses continue to experience strong upward pressure on input and administrative costs.

An indices reading of 50 indicates a balanced environment with an index reading greater than that indicating upward pressure (and therefore positive sentiment) and an index reading less than that indicating downward pressure (and therefore negative sentiment).

Survey respondents had the option of providing commentary to support their responses and a recurring theme was that the fluctuating value of the Australian dollar compared to key currencies was increasing the costs of purchasing products from overseas.

The ADIA Dental Products Business Conditions Survey and its assessment of business sentiment is one of a number of resources produced by ADIA to provide member businesses with the information necessary to plan for the growth of their business, the creation of jobs and long-term sustainability. It allows businesses to assess whether the conditions they are experiencing are broadly consistent with those across the trend. As the ADIA Dental Products Business Conditions Survey assesses only sentiment, the survey does not measure precise movements in sales volumes and prices; however, the Australian Dental Industry Intelligence Report does provide guidance on that across the entire sector and within key product groupings.

The development and review of the ADIA Dental Products Business Conditions Survey is the responsibility of the ADIA-BAC Business Affairs Committee which affords employees of ADIA member businesses the opportunity to come together and develop initiatives that allow members to influence and understand changes to the business environment.


Business Sentiment Subdued By Dollar’s FallThe Australian Dental Products Business Conditions Survey for the first quarter of FY2015-16 shows that positive business sentiment remains; however, a the falling value of the Australian dollar is causing cost pressures as the price of imported products rise.

Results of the latest survey have indicated that businesses in the dental industry, overall, have positive sentiment. The dental product sales and services composite index which measures both selling prices and selling volumes remains in positive territory at 58.9 in the first quarter of FY2015-16.

Over the past three years the Australian Dental Industry Association (ADIA) has supported the Australian Government as it negotiated two key trade agreements, these being the Transpacific Partnership (TPP) agreement and the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA).

Both agreements are important to Australian manufacturers of dental products who rely on access to export markets in order to be sustainable. Individually and collectively, these agreements will secure new market opportunities for Australian dental product manufacturers by eliminating quotas and tariffs where they exist.

Trans Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement —

In October 2015 Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States of America and Vietnam successfully concluded their negotiations for the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement. In 2014 around one-third of Australian exports went to TPP countries.

An important outcome of the TPP free trade agreement is that it works towards the elimination of technical barriers to trade (TBT). The TPP free trade agreement includes special TBT annexes on medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and proprietary formulas which provide specific guidelines that regulatory bodies in each partner country should undertake in the development of technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures.

This is a landmark agreement that eliminates quotas and tariffs where they exist. In a broader sense, it aims to promote economic growth; support the creation and retention of jobs; enhance innovation, productivity and competitiveness; raise living standards; and promote transparency, good governance, and enhanced labour and environmental outcomes.

China Australia Free Trade Agreement —

The China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) was signed in June 2015 after ten years of negotiations and both countries must now complete their domestic treaty making processes to bring the agreement into force that, in Australia, includes consideration by the Parliament. With two-way trade worth over $152 billion and a significant trade balance in Australia’s favour, the agreement is important as it removes most taxes on bilateral trade and tariffs on 96% of Australia’s exports when the agreement is fully implemented. Significantly, the text of the agreement articulates short time frames for the elimination of tariffs on a range of Australian manufactured goods, including pharmaceutical and health products.

As the peak business organisation representing dental product manufacturers and suppliers, ADIA’s advice on these agreements has been sought by the Australian Government. With respect to ChAFTA, the Minister for Trade and Investment, the Hon. Andrew Robb MP, advised that he “welcomes ADIA’s support and thanks ADIA for its ongoing advocacy for this important agreement”.

Consistent with the principles set out in ADIA’s policy statement on free trade agreements, ADIA’s advice has been that the dental industry welcomes these landmark agreements as they assist Australian dental product manufacturers by removing unnecessary and duplicative technical regulations, standards, testing and certification procedures that create unnecessary obstacles in the global market for dental products. As more than ninety-five per cent of all dental products used in Australia are imported, the free trade agreements will also assist local suppliers gain timely access to the latest and innovative technologies.

ADIA’s support for the free trade agreements was confirmed in its policy statement on international free trade agreements developed by the ADIA membership serving on the ADIA-BAC Business Affairs Committee that is chaired by Mr Trevor Martin of Gunz Dental.


Policy Advocacy —

FTAs That Support Business ProfitabilityThe conclusion of negotiations for the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement and the China Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) is good news for the dental industry as it is a step towards eliminating duplicative and unnecessary regulation on dental products.

ADIA’s advice on these agreements has been sought by

the Australian Government. With respect to ChAFTA, the Minister

for Trade and Investment, the Hon. Andrew Robb MP, advised

that he “welcomes ADIA’s support and thanks you for

your ongoing advocacy for this important agreement”.

■ Summer 2015-16

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) levies annual charges to place medical devices in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) as part of its efforts to recover the cost of its regulatory functions from industry. These annual charges associated with placing products on the ARTG fund the TGA’s post-market regulatory activities such as the monitoring of product safety and sponsor compliance with regulatory obligation. The Therapeutic Goods (Charges) Regulations 1990 (the Regulations) prescribe varied levels of charges for different classes of therapeutic goods, based on product risk.

The low value turnover exemption scheme (the LVT scheme), introduced in 1990 and in place until mid-2015, allowed sponsors to seek an exemption from payment of annual charges for entries where the annual turnover is less than or equal to fifteen times the annual charge for that ARTG entry. According to the TGA, the LVT scheme was established with the policy objective of supporting manufacturers of small volume products, small start-up companies, herb growers and small companies making medical appliances whose turnover on a number of product lines might only be a few hundred or a few thousand dollars. That said, the LVT scheme also supported small businesses that supplied dental products.

In October 2014, the TGA set out proposed changes to the charges that businesses would pay to place products on the ARTG with a view to introducing the changes in mid-2015. From the outset, the Australian Dental Industry Association (ADIA) was concerned that the new arrangements would disadvantage businesses that supply dental products resulting in higher ARTG charges and reduced competition in the marketplace as a result of businesses removing products from the ARTG.

The Annual Charge Exemption Scheme —

The new arrangements are referred to by the TGA as the Annual Charge Exemption (ACE) scheme and allows for the exemption of annual charges until a product first generates turnover.

For new products, they automatically qualify for ACE once they are entered on to the ARTG. Sponsors will not be invoiced for an annual charge for that product until it generates turnover. Products will retain their ACE status so long as they continue to have $0 turnover and the sponsor declares this between 1 July and 22 July each year. As soon as a product generates turnover greater than $0 it will no longer be eligible for an ACE, even if it generates $0 turnover in the future.

The ACE scheme is not without its advantages. Whereas qualifying for the former LVT exemption required a Sponsor to obtain a certified declaration that the turnover of products was less than the LVT eligibility threshold, no third party certification is required for the ACE scheme. To maintain an ACE, sponsors are able to self-declare that their product had no turnover. Self-declarations must be submitted to the TGA between 1 July and 22 July each year (starting July 2016), or it will be assumed that the product generated greater than $0 turnover. Furthermore, the administrative burden has been reduced as a Sponsor can complete notifications of turnover and declarations of $0 turnover relatively easily through TGA Business Services website.

The major difference between the LVT exemption scheme and the ACE scheme was the method used by the TGA to determine the threshold when fees would be payable by Sponsors for placing products on the ARTG. Whereas under the LVT exemption scheme an exemption from charges could be claimed when turnover was fifteen times or less the ARTG listing charge, under the new ACE scheme charges became payable when turnover exceeded $0.

.../over

Policy Advocacy —

TGA Fee Changes Hit Industry HardThe introduction by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) of a new charges regime that was designed to cut compliance costs by businesses in the dental industry has failed in its core objective. ADIA’s advocacy has resulted in a review of the new charges regime.

From the outset, ADIA was concerned that the new arrangements would disadvantage businesses that supply dental products resulting in higher ARTG charges and reduced competition in the marketplace as a result of businesses removing products from the ARTG.


Along with the other industry associations in the medicines and medical devices sector, ADIA received a high-level briefing on the proposed changes in October 2014 and, on behalf of the dental industry, concern was immediately expressed with the new scheme. It was apparent from the outset that the ACE scheme would work against the interests of businesses that supplied relatively low-risk medical devices such as dental instruments in small quantities to meet demand from dentists for certain products. From a policy advocacy perspective the challenge was that ADIA became the lone voice of opposition as, on balance, the medicines sector benefited from the new arrangement as did Sponsors of high-risk medical devices such as hip implants. Of the nine industry associations representing medicines and medical device manufacturers, only ADIA opposed the introduction of the ACE scheme; however, that did not deter ADIA from the challenge of protecting the interests of member businesses.

TGA Initial Review Confirms Industry To Pay More —

As a result of the cooperative working relationship that ADIA has with senior staff at the TGA, at the request of ADIA an initial assessment as to how the introduction of the ACE scheme would impact the dental industry was undertaken.

ADIA selected five member businesses that had consented to be a part of a review undertaken by the TGA to assess the impact that the introduction of the ACE scheme would have on dental products suppliers. After assessing fees payable under the LVT exemption scheme and the ACE scheme, the new ARTG charges were likely to increase fees by between 15% to 177% with an average increase of 30% across the five businesses.

Surprisingly, although the TGA’s own assessment that the introduction of the ACE scheme would not reduce compliance costs but increase them for businesses in the dental industry, the regulator pressed ahead with changes. ADIA therefore stepped-up its policy advocacy and ensured that the dental industry’s concerns were understood by the (then) Assistant Minister for Health, Sen. Hon. Fiona Nash, and the Shadow Assistant Minister for Health, Mr Stephen Jones MP. ADIA also briefed a number of back-bench members of parliament on the matter.

ADIA’s policy advocacy at a parliamentary level was intended to develop an understanding that the TGA’s proposed reforms would have two consequences. The first consequence was that the introduction of the ACE scheme will increase compliance costs for businesses that supply dental products. The second consequence is that in an attempt to ameliorate higher TGA charges, some businesses may decide to remove entries from the ARTG, thus preventing those businesses from being able to supply the products. The second outcome is a major concern to the dental profession as access to many products will disappear and for others competition amongst suppliers will be diminished.

Each year ADIA convenes the Dental Industry Meets Parliament roundtable, a forum that allows ADIA’s leadership and representatives of selected businesses to meet with politicians and senior bureaucrats. At this year’s meeting held in Parliament House on 16 June 2015, ADIA provided clear advice to the Minister for Health, the Hon. Sussan Ley MP, that the introduction of the ACE scheme would result in higher costs to industry. This message was repeated in other meetings that ADIA held that week with parliamentarians from across the political spectrum.

TGA Concedes New Scheme To Reduce Competition —

Given ADIA’s demonstrated capacity for high-level policy advocacy, it was not surprising that when the TGA National Manager, Prof. John Skerritt, appeared as a witness before Senate Estimates hearings on 2 June 2015 he was quizzed about the impact of the ACE scheme on the therapeutic products sector.

With information provided by ADIA, Prof. Skerritt had to defend in the Senate committee hearing the impact of the ACE scheme on the dental industry, something that resulted in the remarkable admission that the new arrangements may lead a business to “make a decision to take a product off the market“ as other businesses were selling an identical product. This statement is viewed as a clear admission by the TGA that the ACE scheme will reduce competition for dental products.

Although the ACE scheme came into force on 1 July 2015, ADIA continues its efforts to protect the interests of the dental industry, something that has achieved a significant outcome. Both the Minister for Health and the TGA National Manager have committed to a comprehensive review of how the ACE scheme’s introduction has affected the dental industry. Such is the strength of the TGA’s commitment in this area it is regularly in contact with the ADIA national office as part of this review.

Through the ADIA-DRC Dental Regulation Committee businesses across the dental industry have provided guidance to the team within the ADIA national office that have been progressing this issue on behalf of members and the ADIA-DRC Chair, Ms Pam Clark of Cattani Australia, expressed admiration for all concerned in developing a response.

“ADIA’s leadership in this area has been exemplary and the policy advocacy first-rate. Given the many issues before the Health Minister and Senators serving on the Estimates Committee, it’s genuinely amazing that what could be considered an obscure administrative reform has attracted so much attention. Although the scheme came into effect on 1 July 2015, there can be no suggestion that ADIA has let its members down with respect to this issue,” Ms Clark said.

The outcomes of the review will be made available to ADIA in early 2016 and from there ADIA will plan the next steps in its advocacy.

■ Summer 2015-16

The strength of the Australian Dental Industry Association (ADIA) is found amongst the employees of member businesses who volunteer so much of their time to support the Association’s work. This year the ADIA Board recognised two people who have a track-record of getting in and making a difference, allowing the Association to be a strong policy advocate and deliver the programs that allow member businesses to grow, create jobs and operate sustainably.

ADIA’s awards and recognition framework allows for the appointment of Life Members (of which there can be no more than fifteen at any one time) who have made a contribution of merit to the Association and the broader dental industry over a period of at least twenty years. This year a new Life Member was created.

ADIA Life Membership — Pam Clark, Cattani Australia

Over the past ninety years there have been several thousand people that have contributed to ADIA’s growth; however, only fifteen have been recognised as life members with Ms Pam Clark [pictured left] of Cattani Australia becoming the latest.

ADIA’s highest honour was bestowed on Ms Clark to recognise a contribution that is arguably without peer in recent years to not only ADIA, but the dental industry within Australia and internationally.

An ADIA Director for nineteen years, Ms Clark served as ADIA National President over 2006-10 which followed numerous other leadership positions at a state and national level. As Chair of the ADIA-DRC Dental Regulation Committee since 2011, she has seen ADIA become an effective advocate for a dental product regulatory framework that is based on a risk management approach designed to ensure public health and safety, while at the same time freeing industry from any unnecessary regulatory burden. Ms Clark continues to represent ADIA members on various Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) committees.

Internationally, Ms Clark served as president of the association of International Dental Manufacturers (IDM), the global body representing dental product manufacturers. Further international contribution includes service as an Australian representative on the ISO TC-106 Dentistry committee and as an industry observer to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) negotiations that produced the Minamata Convention on Mercury.

Bestowed annually, the ADIA President’s Service Award recognises individuals who have made a contribution that spans at least three years, including the year in which the award is bestowed. This year it was presented to Mr Greg Whiteley of Whiteley Corporation.

ADIA President’s Service Award — Greg Whiteley, Whiteley Corporation

In addition to service as a dental industry representative on the infection control committee convened by the Australian Dental Association (ADA) for nearly a decade, Mr Whiteley has been a long standing and active member on the ADIA-DRC Dental Regulation Committee. In addition to this service, the ADIA Board also recognised his contribution to the ADIA-CAA Code Administration Committee that oversaw the development of the new ADIA Code of Practice that was endorsed by members in late 2014.

ADIA and the broader dental industry has benefited greatly by the contribution of Ms Clark and Mr Whiteley, supported by the employees of ADIA member businesses that believe passionately about the importance of their work and the products they sell.


Honours For The Industry’s Great ContributorsIn a year that ADIA celebrated its ninetieth anniversary it is appropriate that the contribution of two outstanding industry leaders be recognised. Ms Pam Clark has been made a Life Member and Mr Greg Whiteley received the ADIA President’s Service Award.

ADIA and the broader dental industry has benefited greatly by the contribution of Ms Clark and Mr Whiteley, supported by the employees of ADIA member businesses that believe passionately about the importance of their work and the products they sell.

Picture: Pam Clark of Cattani Australia, ADIA Life Member

The ethical advertising and promotion of dental products is central to the trust-based framework within which dentists and oral healthcare professionals advise and treat patients. The dental industry necessarily works closely with dental professionals to develop evidence-based approaches to particular treatments; in the development of educational materials on the correct use of products; and to support hands-on learning in the correct use of certain products. To ensure that advertisements that compare the properties of one dental product with another provide a factual basis allowing dentists and allied oral healthcare professionals to make informed decisions, the ADIA Code of Practice sets out an approved framework for comparative advertising.

In response to questions from the dental industry, the ADIA-CAA Code Administration Committee reviewed the clause at its meeting on 27 October 2015 and has provided further guidance. The advertising and promotion section in the ADIA Code of Practice is Clause 5.1.8e and the key requirements are set out below.

Comparative advertising framework —

In advertisements and promotional literature, dental products of other businesses should not be disparaged, compared unfairly or treated with disrespect, either directly or by implication.

Comparison must be in the context of peer-reviewed publications available in the public domain (consumer and / or healthcare professional feedback should not be used unless referenced in a peer-reviewed publication).

Further guidance is provided in Clause 5.1.8f that states that members must be able to substantiate all claims made through reliable, readily available, medical or scientific evidence. ADIA has received questions as to what constitutes “peer-reviewed publications” and the ADIA-CAA committee considers these to be a scholarly article or conference paper that has been subjected to the scrutiny of others who are experts in the same field. Furthermore, the peer-review process should be consistent with the Principles of Peer Review published by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

In terms of practical application, this requires that in advertisements and promotional literature product comparisons should only be based upon peer-reviewed research and that this research should be referenced (i.e. readily identifiable) in the advertisement / promotional literature.

The acceptance by the dental industry of this and other provisions within the ADIA Code of Practice have been accepted by the dental industry according to the ADIA-CAA Committee Chair, Mr Greg Whiteley of Whiteley Corporation.

“The widespread acceptance of the Code is hardly surprising given the primary purpose of this document is to ensure that dentists and allied oral healthcare professionals can have confidence in the products that the dental industry supplies and that decisions associated with selecting products are not compromised by inappropriate advertising and promotion,” said Mr Whiteley.

In addition to the requirements set out in the ADIA Code of Practice, businesses in the dental industry are drawn to other requirements associated with product advertising including the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code administered by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and the requirements of the Australian Consumer Law administered by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and state / territory governments.

At this year’s annual general meeting ADIA member businesses elected three individuals to serve on the ADIA-CAA committee. This committee is responsible for monitoring industry up-take of the Code and providing advice on the resources to assist manufacturers and suppliers of dental products understand their obligations.



Code Comparative Advertising GuidelinesGuidance on product comparative advertising that are set out in the ADIA Code of Practice has been issued to allow suppliers of dental products to understand their compliance obligations when publishing advertisements that compare their products with another.

The ADIA Code of Practice requires that in advertisements

and promotional literature product comparisons should only

be based upon peer-reviewed research and that this research

should be referenced (i.e. readily identifiable) in the advertisement / promotional

literature.

■ Summer 2015-16

The National Innovation and Science Agenda launched in December 2015 is underpinned by an understanding of the benefits that come when the brightest minds in industry and research work together to create novel solutions and job-creating businesses. Businesses that work hand in hand with research organisations to innovate are three times more likely to prosper and grow. To this end, the Australian Government is changing research funding incentives to support partnerships with industry, and the government will invest in critical, world-leading research infrastructure to ensure our researchers have access to the very best.

As the peak business organisation representing dental product manufacturers and suppliers, the Australian Dental Industry Association (ADIA) has been a key reference point for the Australian Government in developing key initiatives within the National Innovation and Science Agenda, including:

Biomedical Translation Fund

The Australian Government has recognised that Australia is a world leader in health and medical research but the challenge has always been getting the research out of the laboratory and into the marketplace. The bottleneck lies within the lengthy, yet critical commercialisation process: clinical trials, regulatory and marketing approvals that must take place can require hundreds of millions of dollars and can take up to a decade or more. To remove the bottleneck the Australian Government is establishing a new $250 million fund — the Biomedical Translation Fund — which will invest in promising biomedical innovation and commercialisation.

Global Innovation Strategy

To help Australia compete on an international level, the Australian Government is investing $36 million over five years in a Global Innovation Strategy to improve Australia’s international innovation and science collaboration. The program will provide seed funding to assist Australian businesses and researchers to collaborate with international businesses and researchers.

Innovation Connections

To connect more small and medium businesses with researchers, the Australian Government is investing $18 million in a component of the Entrepreneurs’ Programme, for a new Innovation Connections initiative. The Innovation Connections programme will provide more Facilitators so more businesses can access Australia’s innovation infrastructure, particularly in regional areas. It

Tax Incentives For Investors

The Australian Government is making some changes to the tax system to incentivise investors to direct their funds towards innovative, high-growth potential startups. The changes include concessional tax treatments will be made available for investors who support innovative startups, including a 20% non-refundable tax offset on investment capped at $200,000 per investor, per year and a ten year capital gains tax exemption for investments held for three years.

ADIA is the dental sector’s sole representative on the Ministerial Health Industry Forum that is jointly Chaired by the Minister for Health and the Minister for Industry. This forum exists to identify ways to support the growth medical device and pharmaceutical sector via red tape reduction in addition to the development and implementation of initiatives such as those set out in the National Innovation and Science Agenda. Members with an interest in the National Innovation and Science Agenda are encouraged to joint the ADIA-MIG Manufacturers Interest Group that brings together businesses with an interest in dental product manufacturing.

Industry News —

National Science & Innovation AgendaA major focus of the National Science and Innovation Agenda is on supporting Australia’s growing medical device and pharmaceutical product development and manufacturing sector through fostering collaboration between industry and researchers.

As the peak business organisation representing dental product manufacturers and suppliers, ADIA has been a key reference point for the Australian Government in developing key initiatives within the National Innovation and Science Agenda that will support product research.


According to latest data released by the Dental Board of Australia (DBA) for the quarter ending September 2015, the overall number of registered dental practitioners in Australia is currently sitting at 21,288 – a small increase from the June 2015 number of 21,209.

While rather minor, the only noticeable changes this quarter was a rise of forty-five in the number of registered dentists, while the number of registered oral health therapists rose by twenty-two. The biggest change at a jurisdictional level (i.e. what state or territory a practitioner will list as their principal place of practice), came from Victoria, whose registrations rose by twenty-nine. The summary table of latest registration data is replicated below:

ACT NSW NT QLD SA TAS VIC WA N/A Total

Hygienist 44 393 12 141 251 20 206 287 27 1,381

Hygienist & Therapist 9 56 8 160 64 2 127 53 4 483

Prosthetist 15 421 4 256 67 49 349 85 3 1,249

Therapist 18 223 13 188 90 50 166 305 10 1,063

Dentist 296 5,071 101 3,095 1,155 228 3,737 1,677 573 15,933

Oral Health Therapist 19 298 10 343 140 11 268 69 3 1,161

Other — 9 — 1 — — 3 5 — 18

TOTAL 401 6,471 148 4,184 1,767 360 4,856 2,481 620 21,288

When reviewing this data it is important to note that this is the total number of registered professionals thus the full-time workforce will be less. Those categorised as registered without a geographic region (listed as N/A in the table above) either work in multiple jurisdictions or can not be categorised as being registered in a particular state / territory. The data does allow an analysis of the workforce by sex and this is as follows:

ACT NSW NT QLD SA TAS VIC WA N/A Total

Female 55.4% 44.6% 50.0% 47.6 54.9% 45.5% 49.5% 57.0% 41.0% 48.8%

Male 44.6% 55.4% 50.0% 52.4% 45.1% 54.5% 50.5% 43.0% 59.0% 51.2%

The DBA is responsible for registering dentists, dental students and dental and oral health professionals in Australia. They also help guide the profession by developing standards, codes and guidelines for the dental profession, handling notifications, complaints, investigations and disciplinary hearings, assessing overseas trained practitioners who wish to practise in Australia and approving accreditation standards and accredited courses of study. The DBA regularly analyses its registration data to produce a number of statistical breakdowns about registrants to share with the profession and community on a regular basis.

In 2012, the DBA began publishing quarterly data profiling Australia’s dental workforce, including a number of statistical breakdowns about registrants. These are compiled in the ADIA member library and available to download. The statistics published in this data set are a useful tool in allowing ADIA member businesses to make informed decisions about the direction of their business, allowing them to plan for the future with confidence.


Latest Dental Workforce StatisticsThe Dental Board of Australia (DBA) has released the latest set of dental workforce statistics, which shows that the number of registered dental practitioners compared to the June 2015 figures have remained largely the same.

While rather minor, the only noticeable changes this quarter

was a rise of forty-five in the number of registered dentists, while the number of registered

oral health therapists rose by twenty-two. The biggest change

at a regional level in Victoria, where total registrations rose by

twenty-nine.

■ Summer 2015-16

The international reputation of ADX16 Sydney as Australia’s premier dental event has been confirmed with all exhibition booths having been sold. Of interest, more than 95% of the exhibition space has been allocated to members of the Australian Dental Industry Association (ADIA).

The ADX16 Sydney dental exhibition is convened by ADIA, the peak business organisation representing manufacturers and suppliers of dental products. Staged every two years, the event brings together more than eight thousand stakeholders from across Australia’s dental community to the nation’s largest healthcare tradeshow.

The focus of ADX16 Sydney is all about allowing dentists and allied oral healthcare professionals see and buy the latest products from Australia and overseas. This exciting level of support from exhibitors reflected in booth sales has confirmed the international reputation of this event which allows visitors to see more, buy more and learn more.

To be held at the Sydney Exhibition Centre @ Glebe Island over 18-20 March 2016, ADX16 Sydney includes more than four hundred exhibition booths across thirteen thousand square meters of space. The event is Australia’s largest healthcare trade show and registrations from dentists and allied oral healthcare professionals is already above historical trend levels.

The exhibition space features cafes within the exhibition area and a quality continuing professional development program.

One of the contributing factors that ensures ADX16 Sydney is a sound commercial investment for exhibitors is that it is an event designed by industry for industry. Through the ADIA-DEC Dental Exhibitions Committee, employees of ADIA member businesses provide advice and guidance on the major objectives for the event.

In preparing for ADX16 Sydney the focus of the ADIA-DEC committee has been on making it easier than ever before for dentists and allied oral healthcare professionals to get to the show and meet the leading suppliers.

Visitors to ADX16 Sydney are supported in a number of terrific ways that include free shuttle buses, free harbour ferries and free child minding. Interstate visitors have access to discounted accommodation, something that’s already sparked interest nationwide.

Businesses exhibiting at ADX16 Sydney will benefit by the engagement by ADIA of McKenzie Partners, a boutique advertising agency obsessed with effective communication. From eye-catching print advertisements to an online social media campaign that’s never been seen before in the Australian dental sector, their mission is to drive record attendance to ADX16 Sydney and reinforce its status as Australia’s premier dental event.


ADX16 Sydney Exhibition Sells OutA sell-out exhibition and an eye-catching multimedia advertising campaign are combining to ensure that the ADX16 Sydney dental exhibition attracts record crowds and confirms its status as Australia’s premier dental event.

The exciting level of support from exhibitors reflected in booth sales has confirmed the international reputation of this event which allows visitors to see more, buy more and learn more.

Australian Dental Industry Association Limited ABN 32 003 0314 396

National Office: GPO Box 960, Sydney, NSW, 2001 Government Affairs: GPO Box 1, Canberra, ACT, 2601

t: 1300 943 094 f: 1300 943 794 e: [email protected]

www.adia.org.au

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diaustralia magazine - summer 2015

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