ADA honours distinguished service

For only the third time since 1920, the ADA Victorian Branch has honoured a non-dentist with an Achievement Award for outstanding service to dentistry. Mr Ian Crawford, current president of the Victorian Branch of the Australian Dental Industry Association (ADIA), received the Dentistry Achievement Award at a presentation dinner on June 6.

The dinner followed the association's "A Day on the Cutting Edge" (Restorative Dentistry) seminar. Awards to 50-year graduates, graduates from 2002 and other long service achievements were also presented at the dinner.

"I was absolutely stuck for words when the announcement was made," said Mr Crawford. "It was totally unexpected and it was a great honour to receive this coveted award."

Mr Crawford has been involved in the dental industry since 1969 and has been a federal director of the ADIA since 1986. He has also been a member of the ADIA's Exhibition Committee for 14 years and its chairman for nine of those.

Part of the citation accompanying the award reads: "Mr Crawford has for many years worked co-operatively with, and supported the Branch on many issues, including continuing education, especially its bi-annual [sic] conventions. The interaction of the ADIA Exhibitions and ADA Conventions has always been a positive process that has resulted in mutually beneficial outcomes.

"This same spirit of co-operation was evident at the successful 27th Dental Congress, held in Melbourne in 1993."

Mr Crawford has served on the Board of the Australian Dental Research Foundation Inc since 1997 and is currently vice chairman. He has also been heavily involved in the sport of cricket, as current president of the Prahran Cricket Club and as a delegate for the Victorian Cricket Association where he is a former vice president. He is also a committee member of The Lord's Taverners Australia Victorian Branch, which raises money for underprivileged children.

The citation concludes with: "This long service to the community and to dentistry indicated that conferral of the Award for Distinguished Service is a fitting tribute to Mr Ian Crawford for this outstanding service."