ADA Awards: recognising excellence in the dental profession

Every year the ADA asks you to nominate someone you believe has made, or is making, a significant national contribution to furthering dentistry and/or the profession in either a particular field of dentistry, the profession as a whole or in the wider community.  

The nominations for the 2025 ADA Awards are now open.  

You can nominate individuals who have gone above and beyond to improve the oral and general health of everyone, and who provide safe, high quality oral health care. Taking an active step to nominate these heroes of dentistry matters because as is so often the case with those who exceed the expected and surpass the ordinary, they are usually not the type of people to sing their own praises. 

Applications open Friday 1 August and close on Tuesday 30 September.

There are a number of awards under consideration by the ADA’s Honours and Awards Committee: 

(a) Distinguished Service Award 

Awarded to a dentist who has rendered long and distinguished service to the Australian Dental Association or to dentistry at a national level.  Nominations may be submitted to the Board for consideration. 

(b) Award of Merit 

Recognises a person other than a dentist who has rendered long and distinguished service to the Australian Dental Association or to dentistry at a national level.  Nominations may be submitted to the Board for consideration. 

(c) Valuable Service Award 

Recognises a person who has rendered a valuable service to the Australian Dental Association or to dentistry at a national level. Nominations may be submitted to the Board for consideration. This award may be conferred on a person more than once for a service of similar value. 

(d) Honorary Life Members 

The highest honour ADA Federal can bestow.  An individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of the dental profession or to the art and science of dentistry. Nominations may be submitted to the Board for consideration with a recommendation to be presented to the members for election at the Annual General Meeting. 

(e) Honorary membership 

Recognises an individual distinguished in dental or allied sciences, or any individual who has rendered distinguished service to the Association or to the promotion of any such sciences.  Nominations may be submitted to the Board for consideration. Honorary members are elected for a period of time of not less than 12 months and not more than three years and are eligible for re-election.