About

The CDA is an association of dental associations, with aims to improve dental and oral health in Commonwealth countries by raising the skills of dental professionals and increasing the awareness of oral health.

The Commonwealth comprises 52 countries, across all continents. The members have a combined population of 2.3 billion people, almost a third of the world population, of whom 1.26 billion live in India and 94% live in Asia and Africa combined. These member countries vary enormously in size, from India, Pakistan, the UK, Australia and Canada on the one hand to Kiribati and Vanuatu on the other. Some are amongst the poorest in the world and some amongst the richest, but they are drawn together by a common language (English), historical ties, educational links and similar legal and business cultures.

It is the bond between the individuals of these countries which helps to forge the links and develop the Commonwealth bodies which, in their turn, can facilitate the exchange of information and provide assistance for the less developed countries.

We are here to develop and promote strategies to improve oral health care; to encourage the training of appropriate personnel, to serve as a forum for the exchange of ideas, professional information and the emerging concept of oral health; to address problems of professional isolation in the non-industrialised Commonwealth countries; to stimulate continuing professional education.

Who we are

The CDA is served by an elected Executive Committee, supported by the CDA News Editor and the Administrator. We have a fabulous team of dedicated and hardworking people who makes CDA what it is.

The CDA is an association of national dental associations, which aims to improve dental and oral health in Commonwealth countries by raising the skills of practitioners and increasing awareness of oral health.

Aims and Objectives

• o develop and promote strategies to improve oral health care
• To encourage the training of appropriate personnel
• To serve as a forum for the exchange of ideas, professional information and the emerging concepts of oral health
• To address problems of professional isolation in the non-industrialised Commonwealth countries
• To stimulate continuing professional education
• National dental associations (NDAs) in Commonwealth countries may become a member of the CDA. There is no membership subscription for very small countries. Membership entitles the NDA’s members to the use of any password-protected areas of this site, including access to our online learning tools. Financial support for attendance at future CDA meetings and workshops may also be available to representatives of the NDA.

History

It was in this spirit that the Commonwealth Dental Association (CDA) was established. It is one of the 202 non-governmental organisations that are “very much the lifeblood of the official Commonwealth” and was formed in May 1990 by a decision of delegates from 23 commonwealth countries meeting in London. Its official launch followed almost a year later in Kuala Lumpur when the then Prime Minister of Malaysia, headed the inaugural celebrations.

The Association’s principal objectives are to assist in the promotion of oral health and the development of primary oral health care strategies especially in the less well developed countries. To this end one of its more important achievements to date has been to obtain ‘observer status’ to the Commonwealth Health Ministers Meetings which precede the World Health Assemblies in Geneva each May. This entitles the CDA to receive documents on Commonwealth health matters as well as attending meetings of the Health Ministers. The challenge here is to raise the awareness and stress the importance of oral health in the minds of the decision makers.

Several workshops have been held throughout the Commonwealth usually in cooperation with the national dental associations. The format and subjects have varied considerably. The CDA developed Guidelines for formulating oral health policy for Commonwealth countries and these guidelines are a tool to persuade governments of the need to develop such policies within their overall health strategies.

Over the years since its foundation the CDA has participated in or arranged many workshops, the first being an HIV/AIDS Cross Infection Control Workshop in Jos, Nigeria in March 1992, sponsored by the WHO and the World Dental Federation (FDI). This dwelt on the role and responsibility of oral health personnel in the presentation, diagnosis, infection control and care of HIV/AIDS patient with special reference to Africa. Delegates from eleven African countries participated in this workshop which clearly demonstrated the value in sharing information and experiences.

One of the significant changes that has emerged during the last few years is the movement away from the Commonwealth simply being centred in the United Kingdom to a matrix of individuals and organisations stretched across the Commonwealth countries participating in exchanges of dialogue and communications stretched across more than 50 nations. Such exchanges require a network of interested and committed individuals and the establishment of such a network within the dental profession is one of the most important aspects of the work of the CDA. Such links are fostered and reinforced by attendance at conferences and congresses and it has been most encouraging to witness the increasing number of participants especially from the African countries. Often delegates to our meetings are sponsored by the CDA through funding from the Commonwealth Foundation.

The Association thus uses the opportunity of NDAs attending FDI congresses to enable networking and to hold regular CDA business meetings. However, between these congresses the CDA uses modern methods of communication. Telephone conversations, faxes and now e-mail allow speedy transmission of the spoken and written word and hardly a day goes by during which no contact is made between the offices and members of the Association.

Membership of the Commonwealth Dental Association is open to all national dental associations of countries within the Commonwealth, who contribute by way of annual subscriptions. Individuals and companies may also become “Friends of the CDA”. External sponsorship supports the Association’s activities. Many individuals have also made enormous volunteering contributions to the work of the Association