Biennial Indigenous dental conference paves the way for Indigenous equity in dentistry

21 Jan 2025

On 9 December 2024, Indigenous dental practitioners and professionals met on Kaurna country (Adelaide) for the second biennial Indigenous Dental Association Australia (IDAA) conference, sponsored by the Dental Board of Australia (the Board).

Minjungbal woman of the Bundjalung nation, co-president Jodi Hart opened the conference, the theme being ‘Kardla on Kaurna: Spirit Enduring, Fire Alive.’ 

The first keynote speaker was A/Prof Carmen Parter, from the Darumbal nation and Jura clans of the Birra Gubba and South Sea Islander woman, Ahpra Board member and co-Chair of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Strategy Group. A/Prof Parter spoke with power to the delegates about armouring up against white violence, 'Be conscious that we could become complicit in the populist politics of rolling back our rights and the good work that's been done today in Ahpra - I urge you to stay the course.'

Dr Dylan Coleman and A/Prof Eleanor Parker from the University of Adelaide talked about championing culturally safe care, a journey as partners to enhance Indigenous oral health education and practice. On what’s required in teaching culturally safe practice Dr Coleman said, ‘Cultural safety in healthcare requires practitioners to be willing to undertake the journey of critical reflection and learning, and for non-Indigenous health practitioners, this often requires a deeply significant shift in practice.’

Gamilaroi woman Jayde Fuller leads Ahpra’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Strategy Unit and presented on critical reform work from the National Scheme’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Cultural Safety Strategy 2020-2025, which aims to eliminate racism from healthcare. Jayde spoke about changes to how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural safety knowledge will be taught, assessed and accredited for all health practitioners regulated in the National Scheme in the Cultural Safety Accreditation and CPD Upskilling Framework and Strategy, which will be released in 2025. 

Te Aō Marama Aoteroa Māori Dental Association shared their insights on the growth of the organisation, cultural safety, equity, and community engagement, with a focus on supporting Māori students and professionals in their educational and career journeys.

Respected Woolwonga woman, Aunty Nancy Jeffrey, addressed the group on the work she’s leading at Smiling Mind and shared stories that speak to why oral health is so critical to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ wellbeing. 

The conference was closed with a customary gift exchange and an engaging conversational panel facilitated by co-president Dr Jessica Manuela with the founders and former presidents of IDAA, Dr Chris Bourke, Dr Katherine O’Donoghue and Dr Gari Watson. 

Along with reinforcing the Board’s commitment to eliminating racism from the profession, newly appointed Board Chair, Dr Simon Shanahan, said the conference was an important opportunity to shape the profession. 

‘Without greater numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dental practitioners, the healthcare system will never deliver the kind of safe, equitable and choice of care Indigenous patients are entitled to. We are proud to sponsor the IDAA conference as a unique space to share experiences, ideas and a vision for the future of our profession.‘

The next IDAA conference will be in 2026.

The Teo Ao Marama executive team and the IDAA board of directors at the December conference.