In 1920 the Odontological Society of Victoria and the Australian College of Dentistry Alumni Society amalgamated to form the State Dental Society of Victoria.

In June 1928, a meeting held in Canberra of delegates from five states agreed to the formation of the Australian Dental Association. On 20th November 1928, the annual dinner of the Sate Dental Society of Victoria was held at the Oriental Hotel, Collins Street, Melbourne, followed by the annual general meeting. Drs Clark and Tuckfield who had been the Victorian delegates at that conference, moved and seconded the motion that the State Dental Society become the Victorian Branch of the Australian Dental Association.

The Branch initially occupied a one-person office in the T&G Building, Collins Street, Melbourne, before purchasing 49 Mathoura Road, Toorak in 1955. The Branch sold Mathoura Road and in 2008 relocated to Level 3, 10 Yarra Street, South Yarra.

The Victorian Government enacted the Associations Incorporation Act in 1981 to provide a simple and inexpensive means by which unincorporated non-profit associations could obtain corporate status. The Branch’s application for incorporation was approved with effect from the 28 February 1991. The name of the Association was then formally changed to the Australian Dental Association Victorian Branch Inc.

On 19th February 1884 ten dentists, mostly from Collins Street, gathered to form a dental society whose aim was the maintenance of the honour and interests of the Dental Profession. At this meeting, the suggested name for the new association was the Dental Association of Victoria.

The first meeting of the new Society took place on the 26th February at the Coffee Palace, Bourke Street, Melbourne where the Society’s name was changed to the Odontological Society of Victoria. The new name copied the English Odontological Society which had been formed in 1856 to press for a dental course and legislation.

Said to be the first dental association in the Australian colonies, the Society was active in lobbying for legislation for the regulation of the profession in Victoria. This resulted in the Colonial Parliament passing the Dentists Act 1887. This act provided for the creation of a Dental Board and a Registrar to keep a register of dentists in the State.

In 1890 the Melbourne Dental Hospital was established in Lonsdale Street for the treatment of the poor. Members of the Society gave their services free of charge and assisted in the teaching and training of dental students.

Formal teaching facilities were needed for students who wished to qualify for registration with the Dental Board of Victoria. This need was met when the Society established the Australian College of Dentistry in 1897.

In 1920 the Odontological Society of Victoria merged with the Australian College of Dentistry Alumni Society to form the State Dental Society of Victoria.

The ADA Dental Wives Association was formed in 1963 after a group of wives decided to create an Association of dentists’ wives and partners with the aim of fostering friendship and for the opportunity of meeting each other socially.

The first official meeting was held at the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne in July 1963, with over 100 people in attendance. Christobel Wark was elected as the first President.

In 1985, the Dental Wives Association changed its name to the ADA Associates. It was felt that the new name would be more popular with members and would epitomize some of the new concepts of the Association.

Both organizations were actively involved in the organization of social arrangements for ADA Congresses held in Melbourne. The Association’s other major role was to raise funds for various charities, primarily located in Victoria.

The last meeting of the ADA Associates was held on Thursday 15th October 1992. External demands for the time of the wives and partners had increased to such an extent that continuation of the Association was no longer viable

The National Dental Association created in 1911, proved to be a disappointment, never fulfilling the expectations of its founders. In 1928, the climate was more favorable for the establishment of a truly national dental association which would absorb all existing state societies. Accordingly, in June of that year a meeting of delegates representing five of the six states was held in Canberra. The moribund National Dental Association was wound up and the Australian Dental Association was formed.

With the passing of Incorported Associations legislation, the Australian Dental Association became the Australian Dental Association Incorporated.

The idea for a national body composed of the pre existing Dental societies in each state was first floated by John Illiffe at the first Australian Dental Congress in Sydney in 1907. Unfortunately, dentists in NSW were too mutually antagonistic to entertain his ideas.

Two years later at the Melbourne Congress, Illiffe raised the subject once more and Ernest Joske drew up a list of resolutions on the formation of a national association. The delegates adopted the resolutions unanimously. One of the resolutions provided for the appointment of five Victorian dentists to draw up a draft constitution and circulate it to all the ethical dental societies in Australia. This was dutifully done in less than six weeks.

In the mean time, Alfred Burne and his Sydney colleagues had drawn up their own draft constitution and sent it to all the state societies. Both Burne and Illiffe wanted much the same thing but each was working from a different set of circumstances in his own state. In Victoria, the Odontological Society of Victoria was the only ethical society however, in NSW there were several rival societies and Burne wanted a Federal body with one branch in each state. Neither proposal was to be an association of individual dentists. The two rival sets of constitutions created an impasse and for many months no progress was made.

At the Melbourne Congress in 1910, Ernest Joske managed to break the impasse by writing a new constitution which took account of the major antagonisms. According to the Joske proposal, the body was to be named the National Dental Association of Australia; it would be a federated body of the existing societies but in each State there would be peak body called the State Dental Council formed of representatives from each society.

The National Dental Association’s functions were to hold a triennial Congress and to promote scientific meetings and papers. Delegates eagerly agreed to take back Joske’s constitution to their members for approval which was forthcoming from all, and on 29 May 1911 the first Federal Council meeting of the National Dental Association was held at the Australian College of Dentistry in Melbourne.

The National Dental Association proved to be a disappointment, never fulfilling the expectations of its founders. In 1928, the climate was more favorable for the establishment of a truly national dental association which would absorb all existing societies. Accordingly, in June of that year a meeting of delegates representing five of the six states was held in Canberra. The moribund National Dental Association was wound up and the Australian Dental Association was formed.

In June 1928 a meeting of delegates representing five of the six states was held in Canberra. The moribund National Dental Association was wound up and the Australian Dental Association was formed.

With the passing of Incorported Associations legislation, the Australian Dental Association became the Australian Dental Association Incorporated.

In 1920 the Odontological Society of Victoria and the Australian College of Dentistry Alumni Society amalgamated to form the State Dental Society of Victoria.

In June 1928, a meeting held in Canberra of delegates from five states agreed to the formation of the Australian Dental Association. On 20th November 1928, the annual dinner of the Sate Dental Society of Victoria was held at the Oriental Hotel, Collins Street, Melbourne, followed by the annual general meeting. Drs Clark and Tuckfield who had been the Victorian delegates at that conference, moved and seconded the motion that the State Dental Society become the Victorian Branch of the Australian Dental Association.

The Branch initially occupied a one-person office in the T&G Building, Collins Street, Melbourne, before purchasing 49 Mathoura Road, Toorak in 1955. The Branch sold Mathoura Road and in 2008 relocated to Level 3, 10 Yarra Street, South Yarra.

The Victorian Government enacted the Associations Incorporation Act in 1981 to provide a simple and inexpensive means by which unincorporated non-profit associations could obtain corporate status. The Branch’s application for incorporation was approved with effect from the 28 February 1991. The name of the Association was then formally changed to the Australian Dental Association Victorian Branch Inc.

The Australian College of Dentisty was established in 1897 following the unanimous vote of a meeting of Melbourne dentists. The College opened on the 4th July 1897 for the purposes of providing instruction and training in the art, science and practice of dentistry.

The College was administered by a Council, elected by members, and was incorporated in May 1903 under the provisions of the Victorian Companies Act 1890 as a company limited by guarantee.

Initially the College occupied premises at 239 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne which it shared with the Dental Hospital. It then relocated to 189a-191 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne where it again shared premises with the Dental Hospital.

From its inception, students at the College were instructed by members of the dental profession. The College issued a Diploma of M.A.C.D (Member of the Australian College of Dentistry) to students who satisfactorily completed a two year course following an apprenticeship to a practitioner. Later the Dental Board of Victoria issued a diploma of L.D.S (Licentiate of Dental Surgery) on completion of four years study at the College.

In 1904, the College was formally affiliated with the University of Melbourne. This allowed the University to award the formal qualification of the Degree of Bachelor of Dental Surgery. In exchange for an annual fee, the University also provided the College with teaching staff. At the same time the College also employed its own staff who had been approved by the University.

The University of Melbourne established the Faculty of Dentistry in 1904. The faculty governed the curriculum for the Bachelor of Dental Surgery. Under the terms of the affiliation the College was authorized to carry out the curriculum laid down by the faculty.

In 1907 the College purchased new premises at 193 Spring Street, on the corner of Lt Bourke Street. It was again co-located with the Dental Hospital of Melbourne.

In August 1962 the University received a request from the College for all existing staff of the College to be taken over by the University. The formal transfer of staff became effective on 1 January 1963. The College remained in existence until 1967 whilst its affairs were wound up

The Melbourne Dental Students' Society appears to have been formed circa 1904 by students of the Australian College of Dentistry. The Society is now affiliated with the University of Melbourne and aims to protect the interests of students undertaking dentistry and oral health courses at the University and to promote networking and enjoyment, through participation in social and educational events.

In 1920 the Odontological Society of Victoria and the Australian College of Dentistry Alumni Society amalgamated to form the State Dental Society of Victoria.

At a meeting held in Canberra in June 1928, delegates from five of the six states agreed to the formation of the Australian Dental Association.

On 20th November 1928, the annual dinner of the Sate Dental Society of Victoria was held at the Oriental Hotel, Collins Street, Melbourne, followed by the annual general meeting. Drs Clark and Tuckfield who had been the Victorian delegates to the Canberra conference, moved and seconded the motion that the State Dental Society become the Victorian Branch of the Australian Dental Association.

After 1902, it was expected that new Australian College of Dentistry graduates would flock to join the Odontological Society of Victoria and briefly, many did. However, they soon found they had more in common with each other than the attitudinally exclusive and ageing Odontological Society of Victoria leadership.

During the political campaign for amending legislation in 1910, some graduates of the Australian College of Dentistry and the American Universities felt that the Dental Board was compromising too much in relation to unregistered operators. As a reaction, they formed the Dental Graduates Society the day after the bill was enacted. The aims of the Society were to defend the rights of graduates over the "recorded" men and to promote a non-advertising ethic.

In 1914, the Dental Graduates Society proposed the establishment of a chair of Dental Science at the University of Melbourne and for the Australian College of Dentistry to become an integrated department of the University rather than continue as an affiliated body. The immediate result of this proposal was the formation of a rival society, the Australian College of Dentistry Alumni Society by graduates wanting to defend their alma mater.

The onset of the First World War depleted the possible membership pool significantly and as the war progressed it became obvious that the three existing societies could not be sustained.

In May 1916 the Dental Graduates Society sought amalgamation with the Alumni Society and this occurred in November of the same year.

In 1914, the Dental Graduates Society proposed the establishment of a chair of Dental Science at the University of Melbourne and for the Australian College of Dentistry to become an integrated department of the University rather than continue as an affiliated body. This proposal resulted in the formation of the Australian College of Dentistry Alumni Society by graduates wanting to defend their alma mater.

At this time there were 3 dental societies in Victoria vying for members from the same small pool of ethical (ie. non-advertising) dentists: the Odontological Society of Victoria, the Dentral Graduates Society and Australian College of Dentistry Alumni Society. The onset of the First World War depleted this membership pool even further and as the war progressed it became obvious that three societies could not be sustained.

In November 1916 the Dental Graduates Society amalgamated with the Australian College of Dentistry Alumni Society. In 1920, the Australian College of Dentistry Alumni Society amalgamated with the Odontological Society of Victoria to form the State Dental Society of Victoria

The ADA Dental Wives Association was formed in 1963 after a group of wives decided to create an Association of dentists’ wives and partners with the aim of fostering friendship and for the opportunity of meeting each other socially.

In 1985, the Dental Wives Association changed its name to the ADA Associates. It was felt that the new name would be more popular with members and would epitomize some of the new concepts of the Association.

Both organizations were actively involved in the organization of social arrangements for ADA Congresses held in Melbourne. The Association’s other major role was to raise funds for various charities, primarily located in Victoria.

The last meeting of the ADA Associates was held on Thursday 15th October 1992. External demands for the time of the wives and partners had increased to such an extent that continuation of the Association was no longer viable.