Professor Newell Johnson,
MDSc, PhD, FDSRCS, FRACDS, FRCPath, FFOP(RCPA), FICD, FHEA, FMedSci.

Heads of the long-standing dental schools in Australia and New Zealand have met - fairly often but at irregular intervals - for many years to discuss the common challenges they have faced. The grouping was known as "CHADDS" - Council of Heads and Deans of Dental Schools. These discussions were valuable, but the body had no official standing and was not often consulted by others.

 When I arrived back in Australia in early 2005 to become Foundation Dean of the School of Dentistry and Oral Health at Griffith University, I was pleased to be invited to several of these gatherings. Whilst I learned much from my colleagues, I felt the body could have more teeth [pun not intended]; could be more pro-active in bringing the value of dental education to the attention of politicians and the public; in explaining the challenges of funding and of obtaining adequate human resources for teaching and research; and in offering expert advice to policy makers. After all, the dentistry and oral health professions have no future other than through the graduates we produce.

We discussed formalising the organisation throughout 2005 and 2006, and I was asked to assume the role of interim Chair whilst we sought a new model. I held this position from 2007 until early 2010. We changed the name to ACODS. and the organisation was formally incorporated in 2010.

During these five years I have felt it an enormous privilege to have played such a leading role in academic affairs in Australia and to al lesser extent in New Zealand. I achieved a number of personal goals during this period, goals which I am pleased to say were shared by my colleagues. These include making the organisation representative of educators in all branches of the oral health professions: dentistry, oral health therapy, dental hygiene, dental therapy, dental prosthetics and dental technology [the latter not quite fully yet]. We have come to be recognised as the peak body representing education for these professions. We have been regularly consulted by Governments, NGOs, the public and a wide range of stakeholders.

We have been represented on/sent delegates to innumerable working parties and committees dealing with such important matters as: monitoring progress with the National Oral Health Plan; the evidence base for oral health promotion messages; workforce projections and needs;  academic standards; clinical placements; health care delivery systems; speciality training; national registration and accreditation and have held seats as of right on the Australian Dental Council.

We have met the President and CEO of the ADC; the Federal Executive of the Australian Dental Association; the President and Secretary of the RACDS and other stakeholders regularly to discuss how best to reach our common goals of provision of excellence in health care to our populations. Other bodies with whom we have formally and constructively interacted include Universities Australia; Professions Australia; the Australian Learning and Teaching Council; the Council of Medical Royal Colleges; and multiple government agencies.

Dental/oral health education in Australia in particular faces continuing challenges: of an aging academic workforce; of a shortage of aspirants to full-time academic posts; of limited funding for the very expensive infrastructure a dental school requires - and in Australia the tyranny of distance: of taking our skills to rural, remote and Indigenous populations. ACODS was tackling all of these with vigour when I demitted office and I wish those who follow great success as they continue to grapple with these and other challenges in the future.