A feast of learning, exploring and connecting: Congress 2025 wrap-up

The 2025 Australian Dental Congress wrapped up over the weekend, hailed as “one of the most inspiring Congress events in memory”.

Across three days in Perth, over 2600 registered attendees from across Australia, South-East Asia and the rest of the world united to learn from some of the world’s brightest minds in dentistry, explore advancements in dental technology and participate in thought-provoking in-depth workshops.

A warm welcome

The Australian Dental Congress 2025 kicked off in fine style on Wednesday night, 7 May, with the Welcome Reception in the beautiful grounds of the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre.

An opportunity to connect with fellow delegates and exhibitors, the Welcome Reception began with a Welcome to Country by Whadjuk Noongar people, a member of whom also gave a beautiful performance on the yidaki and who invited attendees to participate in the smoking ceremony in the end.

While people enjoyed light refreshments, ADA President, Dr Chris Sanzaro and members of ADC2025’s National Organising Committee paid tribute to the hard work involved in bringing the event to fruition while talking with excited expectation about what lay ahead during the event.

The next morning, delegates descended on the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre for the start of the 2025 Australian Dental Congress proper, creating a real sense of energy and anticipation. 

There was a buzz in the air as dental professionals and industry leaders from across the country – and internationally – united to kick off four days of learning, networking and inspiration.

The registration queues moved quickly, and the coffee flowed as laughter, handshakes and warm reunions filled the foyer.

Following a Welcome to Country ceremony and opening remarks by the ADA President, Dr Chris Sanzaro, a crowd of eager delegates enjoyed light refreshments as they renewed old connections and made new ones, celebrating the start of ADC2025.

The expansive learning opportunities of the scientific program

Prior to the commencement of the expansive learning program at ADC2025, the Opening Ceremony began with a Welcome to Country by a Noongar Elder who vividly described and demonstrated the sounds of Perth, its surrounding areas and other parts of Western Australia.

Dr Chris Sanzaro, the president of the ADA, then welcomed the crowd, talking about the nature of a Congress event before speaking of the multiple challenges and opportunities awaiting dentistry, noting as he did so that "dentistry is all about the details."

Thursday saw the start of the full first day of Congress with one of the international keynote speakers, Dr Jason Smithson of the United Kingdom, taking to the stage after the welcome ceremonies where he gave a case study on a dental operation on a young girl he had performed, which he discussed in detail from diagnosis through to the final result where the problem was addressed.

"It's a single procedure, it's aesthetic, it's economic," said Smithson.

Dr Smithson was followed by Australian speaker Dr. Michael Stubbs who gave a presentation on dental sleep medicine and temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD) and Dr Grace Sha, also from Australia, who addressed the pressing issue of the mental health and wellbeing of dentists and medical workers, pointing to the high rates of fatigue and workplace burnout that healthcare workers faced.

Another international keynote speaker of note was Dr Victor Clavijo (sponsored by Ivoclar Vivadent) who delivered a presentation geared towards transitional restorations for full mouth reconstructions instead of Class 1 & 2 resin restorations during dental operations.

A speaker highlight of the day was an interview by ABC Radio Sydney of Dr Vanessa Cho, an Australian consultant paediatric dentist at the Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Dental School of Medicine who discussed her research interests including eye tracking in dentistry which has the potential to play a key role in addressing dental anxiety.

The interview took place just before Dr Cho took to the stage to talk about "Byte into the future: Artificial Intelligence's role in modern dental care" which addressed both the challenges and the road to successful integration of AI into dentistry.

Elsewhere in this program, hailed as “outstanding” by one delegate, was international keynote speaker Dr Marta Revilla-León spoke about the “virtual patient” and how digital implant data is obtained. As part of her presentation, she reviewed two digital technologies that scan digital implant positions – intraoral scanners and extraoral photogrammetry, noting that scanning methods have proliferated in the dental profession.

Dr Hom-Lay Wang, another member of the international keynote speaker roster, then presented a session which concentrated on the link between restorative designs and peri-implant diseases, with a particular focus on three key topics.

(1) Supracrestal tissue attachment/adhesion around natural teeth or implants
(2) Differences between tissues and bone-level implants
(3) The link between implant prostheses and peri-implantitis.

After a refreshing stop for morning tea – reviving coffee and bickies anyone? - and a quick look at some of the many impressive stands at the exhibition, delegates were able to take in an endodontic presentation by Professor Paul Abbott, a national keynote speaker who is the Emeritus Professor of Dentistry at The University of Western Australia. His presentation to a highly engaged audience revolved around external invasive resorption and the challenges that come with diagnosing it, the treatment needed and its prognosis.

The busy program, which also featured well-attended workshops and Breakfast & Learn and Lunch & Learn sessions, was a presentation by Dr Lisa Bowden, also from the University of Western Australia, who explored enamel hypomineralisation and the methods that can be used to manage the teeth affected by this condition. MIH, or molar incisor hypomineralisation, affects up to 22% of children in Australia with up to four of a child’s first permanent molars impacted with the condition frequently associated with affected incisors.

While the primary cause for MIH remains unclear, there are some circumstantial theories under consideration which Dr Bowden detailed before moving onto diagnosis and the issues associated with managing the condition, including managing the dental anxiety of children.

These speakers are a small but highly illustrative example of both the quality of the teaching and the diversity of topics covered and underscore why Congress is always highly valued by those who attend.

Exploring cutting-edge products and services

Outside of the Scientific Program sessions, delegates were also able to explore the exhibition which showcased an expansive array of companies from across the dental industry. These exhibitors showcased a wide variety of dental technology from dental imaging through to equipment used for dental surgeries, as well as detailing a range of dental services; also on site were companies involved in dental-adjacent activities such as MEDIFIT Design & Construct, an interior design firm which specialises in designing dental clinics. 

Along with vendors of dental publications and items like mouthguards, the exhibition also showcased government departments such as the Western Australian Dental Health Services and the Australian Defence Force (ADF), encouraging people to join their ranks to provide dental services to Australia's fighting forces.

And to fuel all this investigation and discovery of the latest in dental products and services? Why coffee and light refreshments, ensuring delegates aren't just ready for some serious step counting but are refreshed and ready for many more learning sessions to come.

Getting to know you …

We touched earlier on the Welcome Reception which ushered in Congress in warm and highly enjoyable style, but it is perhaps the Congress Late Night, held on Friday 9 May, which illustrates the power of the event to bring people together.

Held in the iconically beautiful surrounds of Kings Park with the city of Perth as a glittering backdrop, the three-hour long event was promoted as an “unforgettable” cocktail party which more than met the hype.
 
Set over two levels, Congress Late Night featured:

• A “silent disco” so popular that they ran out of headphones, necessitating a last-minute switch to a more standard, vibrantly loud dance party, curated by an enthusiastic DJ who sang along to some very tasty electronic beats.

• If listening to a band was more your thing then that was covered with a duo performing upbeat songs in the outdoor area which look over the Swan River from a clifftop eyrie.

• A diverse range of delicious food options was on hand including paella and curry stations, along with a dessert bar perfectly situated to give you a dance-fuelling sugar rush.

The night proved so immersively fun that attendees danced to the very last song, the ultimate compliment for an event that provided the perfect platform for people to connect, dance, laugh and have fun, and to solidify the bonds that Congress always builds among delegates.

Whether you came to learn, explore or connect, or all three, the Australian Dental Congress 2025 delivered on all three counts, and we’re excited to welcome everyone again when Congress reconvenes in Adelaide in May 2027!