The study and practice of endodontics in Australia has come a long way since its humble beginnings in the 1960’s. The Australian Society of Endodontology with over 500 members is the biggest society associated with the Australian Dental Association. The majority of its members are general practitioners with an interest in tooth preservation. The Society publishes three issues annually of the Australian Endodontic Journal, which is currently under the Editorship of Dr Stephen Harlamb. There are five State branches with a Federal umbrella body. The State branches act independently, with the Federal body coordinating items of interest to all State branches and Federal touring lecturers.

The major development of endodontics in Australia began in the1950’s and early 1960’s with the return of Australian Dentists who had gone abroad for further study and discovered a whole new world of endodontic practice in the United States, in Scandinavia and to a lesser extent in the United Kingdom. These men were fired with enthusiasm and the only way they were able to continue to learn was by establishing small study clubs whose members were eager to learn chiefly by their own research efforts, literature reviews and self-criticism and mutual advice of failed cases. These study clubs eventually amalgamated to a federal umbrella body (The ASE Inc.); and all changed their names to The ASE (State Branch).

In addition, a specialist body of endodontologists known as The Australian and New Zealand Academy of Endodontists was formed by 1993. This society is open only to those who have advanced training in endodontics or are registered under a “Grandfather Clause”.
Endodontics is taught as a separate discipline in all five universities in Australia.

Adapted from The Australian Endodontic Newsletter – March 1993, Volume 18, Number 3

(Special Issue)

Edited by Dr F J Harty