Following the hugely successful 2009 Perth convention, we witnessed the birth of ADSA. New and improved, the weight of expectation was immense. Could ADSA deliver? Would Melbourne be the perfect host city? Would dental students congregate once more for further celebrations? Yes, yes - good heavens above - yes!

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With over two hundred delegates from nine different dental schools across the nation converging in cosmopolitan Melbourne, the excitement was palpable.

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The scene was set for a costumed Meet and Greet of epic proportions. Graceful lions hunting amidst outer space invaders, with Ron Burgandy and his news team reminding everyone they’re ‘kind of big deal’. It wasn’t long before the Pugg Mahones dance floor was set alight and convention had kicked off with a bang!

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With many a little worse for wear the next morning, delegates saw the start of an interesting academic programme that would delve into dentistry in Israel, life after graduation and the link between oral cancer and sex!



When lectures finished in the morning, those more athletically inclined took to the sports field for some friendly inter-school competition. Luckily, no student was too exhausted to be whisked away from the safety of Australian shores and dumped in the mix of Tijuana, Mexico. What followed was a mix of sombreros, tequila and a strange donkey lurching amongst the crowds. The Mexicana pub crawl was a great success and showcased the wide variety of hip bars throughout Melbourne’s backstreets. It also afforded a small crew of Mexican janitors the chance to make some extra coin cleaning car windscreens between venues.

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Waking up on Thursday morning we were thrown onto buses to venture out to Victoria’s newest regional dental school in Bendigo. Touring through the new school’s facilities and listening to some interesting lectures from the school academics, it was time for a break. The crowds were treated to some of Victoria’s finest food and wines.

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Thursday night saw delegates go native, with a tribal themed adventure to Fun City! Here students battled it out in laser tag, raced rings around each other on the go kart track, and as for the sumo suits... let’s not go there.

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The academic programme stepped up again on Friday morning with an interesting look into new techniques in endodontics and a rather graphic look into maxillofacial surgery (many students were happy their stomachs had settled after a night of partying).

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After an afternoon off to explore the city of Melbourne, it was time to get real and dial 000. The 000 emergency cruise combined with the Melbourne dental students association saw 400 dental students cruising down the magnificent Yarra river. With the DJ’s tearing up the 1 and 2’s all over the boat and the drinks flowing, it was easy to look past the bandaged and bloody. When things did start to heat up, we were glad the firemen were onboard! One escaped inmate decided he’d use all means to evade the po-po, even diving in to the depths of the Yarra River to escape conviction!

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Suddenly it was Saturday, where much of the day was spent mentally preparing for the penultimate event; a cocktail ball at Melbourne’s Aquarium. The gentlemen were suited and ladies dressed to the nines and everyone involved had a night to remember! Tearing up the dance floor whilst mingling with the fish, this glorious setting was a fitting end to the delicious social programme at this year’s convention.

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As the battered and weary gathered for the AGM on Sunday morning the new executive was elected and three new positions added to the general committee. With ADSA growing, we look forward to adding a further three new positions to next year’s general committee and we are sure that if the past two years are anything to go by, next year’s convention in Brisbane is going to be huge!

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So get involved and remember stay classy.