ADA Awards

Members of the ADA community are making a real difference in the lives of countless people and throughout the dental profession in a particular field or society as a whole.

We believe they deserve to be recognised, and so, every year we ask you to nominate people you believe exemplify the very best of the profession so we can recognise them as outstanding mentors, role models and leaders in their field.

Past winners have included volunteers, key research contributors and those dedicated to further innovation and education – who will be recognised next?

That is up to you.


Types of awards

So, what can you nominate people for? Here’s a list of the awards for which someone you know could be worth nominating.

Honorary Life Member - For dentists who make an outstanding contribution to the advancement of the dental profession or to the art and science of dentistry.

Distinguished Service Award - For dentists who have rendered long and distinguished service to the ADA or to dentistry at a national level.

Award of Merit - For people who are not dental professionals who have rendered long and distinguished service to the ADA or to dentistry at a national level.

Honorary Member - For recipients who have distinguished themselves in dental or allied sciences, or who have provided distinguished service to the Association or to the promotion of any science or who have advanced the interests of the dental profession.

Valuable Service Award - For people who have rendered a valuable service to the ADA or to dentistry at a national level.


Nominating someone

You can nominate someone you believe has made a significant national contribution to advancing dentistry and/or the profession in:

  1. a particular field of dentistry or;
  2. dentistry as a whole or;
  3. the community as a whole.


The awards process is confidential so you are encouraged to lodge your nomination without informing the nominee.

2023 award recipients →

2022 award recipients →

2021 award recipients →

2020 award recipients →

2019 award recipients →


Further links