Policy Statement 1.1 – Establishing Policy

Position Summary

The Australian Dental Association (ADA) Policy Statements will be presented in a standard format and will form the foundation of public statements made by the ADA.

1. Background

1.1. An Australian Dental Association (ADA) Special Purpose Committee on Policy Review was established in 2001 as recognition that the Association did not have clearly defined policy in many areas.

1.2. Federal Council in 2007 established a Standing Committee known as the Policy Committee to develop and review the ADA’s policy and Guidelines.

1.3. The Constitution Committee was renamed the Constitution and Policy Committee in 2016 and had added to it the duties of the Policy Committee.

1.4. The Secretariat has internal administrative policies that are not approved by the Federal Council

Definitions

1.5. ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY shall mean those internal policies created and used by the Secretariat which are not available to the public or about members and so are not authorised by Federal Council.

1.6. POLICY shall mean an agreed course or program of action or administration within the objects of the Association (ADA Constitution).

1.7. POLICY STATEMENT shall mean a formal document authorised by the Federal Council as the Association’s considered position on a designated subject (ADA Constitution).

2. Position

2.1. ADA policy will be in the form of Policy Statements and Administrative Policy.

2.2. ADA Policy Statements shall be catalogued under the following headings:

• Administration and Governance

• National Oral Health

• Dental Workforce, Education & Training

• Professional Development

• Third Parties

• Dental Practice

• Representation, Affiliation & Recognition

2.3. ADA Policy Statements, unless otherwise specified by Federal Council, as for members only or internal use only, shall be publicly available to the wider community.

2.4. ADA policy should complement, but not duplicate, the ADA Constitution and/or By-Laws.

2.5. Any amendments to ADA policy will be consolidated into the relevant Policy Statements or By-Laws.

2.6. ADA Policy Statements shall be formatted, whenever possible, with the following sections:

1. Position Summary – an outline of the Association’s position on the particular issue. The
position summary will be placed on the Association website for easy reference, where it will have a link to the complete Policy Statement for those wishing to have more information.

2. Background – a short description of relevant facts and history and may include Definitions (usually as defined by the ADA).

3. Position where the background, context, evidence, and discussion are presented to provide a more complete understanding of the issues involved and the rationale behind the position(s) set forth in the Policy Statement.

2.7. ADA Policy Statements will be published in accordance with the ADA Policy Statement Style Guide and should be subject to review at least once every three years.

2.8. An historical register of ADA Policy Statements shall be kept.

2.9. Whenever a new ADA Policy Statement replaces a redundant ADA Policy Statement, this shall be recognised in a footnote on the first page of the new ADA Policy Statement.

2.10. ADA Policy Statements should form the foundation of any public statement made by the ADA.