During the review of the Standards the ADC made a commitment to prioritise how the Standards could be strengthened to focus on improved health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

The most significant amendment to the Standards is the inclusion of Domain 6: Cultural safety. This Domain applies to all programs seeking accreditation in Australia. Accredited dental practitioner programs will need to demonstrate to the ADC that they are preparing their students to provide culturally safe care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. This is an important addition to the Standards and throughout the consultation the new Domain was strongly supported by stakeholders, including the Indigenous Dentists’ Association of Australia, Commonwealth and State and Territory Ministers of Health, Health Departments, education providers, and professional associations.

The new Domain aligns with the recent work of Ahpra, National Boards and Accreditation Authorities in the development of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Strategy, which was developed under the guidance and leadership of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health leaders.

Other important amendments to the Standards include:

• Greater regard for consumer involvement in program development
• Clearer expectations on the need to develop skills in inter-professional collaborative practice
• Clarity regarding the focus of the Standards being at the program and not the provider level, and
• Revision of the assessment standard and associated criteria to better clarify expectations.