- Louise Brown: School of Dental Science, The University of Melbourne.
The speciality of periodontics in Australia and New Zealand has seen steady growth since 1986, when the Australian and New Zealand Academy of Periodontics (ANZAP) was formed. Very few members of ANZAP have retired in the 16 years since its formation. However, the results of a survey of members revealed that one-third of members plan to retire within the next 10 years, and over 50% of members will have retired within 15 years. The survey also revealed that most members were heavily booked, and nearly half were concerned by their level of busyness. A total of 22 members are currently seeking to employ a periodontist in their practice, and yet only three students will complete the MDSc program in periodontics in Australia at the end of this year. This paper presents the results of the ANZAP survey of members and addresses issues affecting the training of periodontists in Australia and New Zealand.