How Dental Professionals Can Access CPD with the ADA
The Australian Dental Association (ADA) provides continuing professional development (CPD) to its members through an on-demand portal with more than 100 hours of peer-reviewed, expert-led webinars, video, and audio content. Access requires ADA membership — the CPD library is marked "Members Only," so non-members cannot view these recordings. If you are an ADA member, you can log in to the CPD Portal and start learning anywhere, anytime.
What the ADA CPD library contains
The on-demand CPD collection is built around recorded webinars, video, and audio sessions. According to the ADA, the content is:
- Peer-reviewed — sessions are reviewed before publication.
- Expert-led — presenters include specialists, academics, and practising clinicians.
- Over 100 hours — enough to cover a substantial part of a year's CPD requirement across multiple topics.
The stated purpose is to let dental professionals "grow your skills in an evolving professional landscape anywhere, anytime," which means the format is designed for self-paced learning rather than fixed-schedule attendance.
Example sessions listed on the site
| Session | Format | Presenters |
|---|---|---|
| AI Scribes in Dentistry (Part 1 of 3) | Webinar | A/Prof Khaled Ahmed, Dr Martin Gale, Dr Gihan de Mel, Dr Annalene Weston, Dr Kang Kim |
| CBCT justification, optimization and patient safety | Podcast (Dental Files) | Dr Peter Thomas |
| Cracked teeth and root fractures | Webinar | Professor Emeritus Robert M. Love ONZM, Specialist Endodontist |
| Ep1: Why are communication skills important? | Webinar | Dr Thivagar Nirmalann ("Dr Tiv"), Dr Leanne Ng |
These examples show the range: clinical topics (CBCT, cracked teeth), technology (AI scribes), and non-clinical skills (communication). If your CPD plan mixes clinical and professional-skill hours, the library covers both.
How to access the CPD content
- Confirm your ADA membership. The CPD recordings are labelled "Members Only." If you are not a member, you will not be able to open them.
- Go to the CPD Portal. The ADA site links to a dedicated CPD Portal from its "CPD on demand" section.
- Log in with your member credentials. Access is gated, so the portal will require your ADA member login.
- Choose a session and watch or listen. Sessions are delivered as video, audio, or webinar recordings, so you can complete them at your own pace.
- Check how completion is recorded. The source material describes the content and access method but does not detail how CPD hours are logged or certificates issued — confirm this inside the portal once logged in.
Expected result: you can stream or download member-only CPD sessions from the portal without attending a scheduled event.
Live CPD events as an alternative
Beyond on-demand content, the ADA runs in-person CPD events across Australia, listed under "ADA Events." The largest is the Australian Dental Congress, scheduled for Adelaide, 19–22 May 2027, described as the region's leading CPD event with 200+ hours of presenters and networking.
Choose between the two formats based on your situation:
- On-demand portal — best if you need flexibility, want to cover specific topics, or cannot travel.
- Live events and Congress — best if you want networking, hands-on exposure, or a concentrated block of hours.
Common sticking points
- Membership is the gate. The most likely reason access fails is a lapsed or absent membership, not a technical problem.
- The library is large. With 100+ hours, browse by topic rather than trying to work through everything.
- Verify your CPD recording requirements. The site does not state how on-demand hours are documented, so check the portal's own instructions before relying on it for a compliance deadline.
For the public-facing side of the site, the ADA also offers a "Find a" dentist tool, but that is separate from the member CPD service described here.