Tēnā koutou katoa (Greetings to you all)
Specialist Paediatric Dentists of New Zealand (Kaimātai Niho Tamariki o Aotearoa) was pleased to host its annual virtual conference on 6 July, this time extending the invitation to enrolled DClinDent Postgraduates in Australia. Attendance of the virtual conference has remained free to all postgraduates within New Zealand as well as NZ-trained specialist paediatric dentists working in the Pacific region.
The day featured several highlights, thanks to a strong faculty of local and international speakers presenting on a range of fascinating topics. From inequity and navigating New Zealand’s largely bi-cultural worlds professionally and personally, to sleep issues in children, incorporating play therapy into paediatric dentistry and issues facing our profession, the content was eclectic and thought-provoking.
I’m pleased to report that the conference was a great success. While virtual events do not replicate the face-to-face networking made possible by in-person conferences – that I and many others find so valuable and enjoyable – they do play an important role in increasing our sense of local community while offering the flexibility and easy access to connect, learn and collaborate.
As the cold temperatures start to ease off, I am looking forward to the New Zealand spring, which is always a vibrant, uplifting and inspiring time of year! I wish you all a successful rest of the year ahead, and invite you to get in touch with any questions or thoughts you may like to share – I am always happy to hear from our community, so please don’t hesitate to email me at spdnz14@gmail.com.
Ngā Mihi Nui (Thank you very much)
Arun Natarajan
Chair
SPDNZ
