Vern-Barnett Awards for Excellence in Dental Assisting returns in 2025!

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Nominations will soon open for the Vern-Barnett Awards for Excellence in Dental Assisting. Nominate those special members of your Dental Team!

The Vern-Barnett Awards have been established to commemorate the contributions made by Kathy & Dr Brian Vern-Barnett to the education, advancement and recognition of Dental Assisting as an integral part of the dental health team.

These Awards give Dental Clinics the opportunity to recognise their indispensable team members for the valuable contribution they have made to the dental practice.

We know Dental Assistants are truly valued employees who have a strong passion for their profession and want to share it with others. This is your chance to recognise these people and acknowledge their achievements.

Take a look at this year’s categories:

1. Award for Innovation in Dental Practice
Recognises Dental Assistants who have introduced or embraced innovative solutions, including digital tools or new processes, to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, or quality of care within their workplace.

2. Sustainability Advocate Award
Acknowledges those who have championed eco-friendly and sustainable practices in the dental profession, such as waste reduction, sustainable material use, or green initiatives in the workplace.

3. Mentorship and Leadership Excellence Award
Celebrates Dental Assistants who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and mentoring skills, fostering professional growth and collaboration within their teams.

4. Outstanding Contribution to Patient Care
Honours individuals who consistently deliver outstanding, patient-focused care, going above and beyond to ensure the comfort and well-being of patients.

5. Community Oral Health Impact Award
Recognises contributions to improving oral health in the community through volunteer work, education, or initiatives that increase access to dental care for underserved groups.

Who is eligible?

Each year the Dental Assistants Professional Association gives dental practices, employers and staff the opportunity to nominate a dental assistant who has done something extraordinary in the profession of dental assisting for an award recognising their excellence.

Perhaps this person has influenced a student, volunteered to help the underserved, organised continuing education courses, developed procedures to improve the workplace, been an exceptional mentor for staff or made your workplace a better environment in which to operate.

We all know these people. They are the unsung heroes, those who reach out to their colleagues and patients because they have a passion for their profession and want to inspire that passion in others. Nominees can be permanent, part-time or casual employees. Conditions of nomination are outlined on the application form.

Nominations are opening in March 2025.

The Dental Assistants Professional Association is an approved NSW Smart and Skilled* provider, and more information on this can be found at the smart and skilled website https://education.nsw.gov.au/skills-nsw
*'This training is subsidised by the NSW Government.'