b'SECTION REPORTSSection VI IIAUSTRALASIAThe Australasian Section is steadily growing through strategic planning, supporting future dental leaders and service initiatives.Presidents GreetingFellows,makingSectionVIIIthecommunities in the islands.Keith Watkins second largest Section. Important-ly, the emphasis for nominating newAustralasia ProjectsFellows continues to be on the qual- Many programs led by Section VIII ity of nominees and not on increas- Fellowsconsistofteamsvisiting ing numbers for numbers sake. Insitesinvariouscountriestosup-2019, Section VIII held an inductionport local personnel. Many program ceremonyanddinnerinAdelaidevisits have had to be cancelled this on May 3 at which 33 new Fellowsyear due to the COVID-19 pandem-wereinducted.SectionStatistics:ic, including MLop Tapang Cambo-657ActiveFellows;90LifeFel- dia, Timor Leste, Kimberley Dental lows; Other: 1 Master, 6 HonoraryTeam, Project Yeti, Vanuatu, Long LifeFellows,5HonoraryFellows.Tan Vietnam and Nepal school vil-D ue to the impact of the CO- Future Leaders the futurelage.TheSmilesforthePacific VID-19 pandemic, many of(SFTP)conferencescheduledfor the plansfor 100-year ICDSection VIII is nurturingthisSeptemberhasbeenpost-celebrations around the world havedentalleaderswithinourregionponed for 12 months. had to be changed. The 100-yearwithsponsorshipoftheNZDAButmanyprogramsareforging centenaryinductionanddinner,Young Dentists Action Groups an- aheadandadaptingtochanges. previouslyplannedforMelbourne,nualspeakerdevelopmentpro- TheICDsponsorshipoflocalTi-Australia, in August 2020, has beengram and the introduction of an an- morese dental assistants to study rescheduledtoMarch2021.Thenual ICD Young Dentists VolunteerdentistryinFijihascommenced. ceremonyscheduledforChrist- (YDV) grant. In 2019, the inauguralICDFellowsworkingwithSFTP church, New Zealand, remains un- YDV grant was awarded to Dr. Tedand in PNG are looking at ways to changed and is taking place on Oct.Piercy, who will accompany project 3, 2020. leader Fellow George Manos to Ne-It might have been reasonable topal to participate in Project Yeti.assume that after nearly 100 years,South Pacific Strategythe ICD would be running out of aSection VIII is developing a South little bit of puff, but this is certainly notthecase. ThemembershipofPacific strategy to enhance ICD Fel-Section VIII increased by 6% in thelowship in the islands of the South 12 months up to May 2019, with aPacific.WithamorecoordinatedVIETNAM MISSION growth rate of 3% on average perapproach, Section VIII aims to con- The Australian ICD team at the Odonto yearoverthepast12years.Ourtribute to improving oral health ser- MaxilloFacialHospitalinVietnam current membership stands at 766vices and outcomes in underservedduring an oral health project in 2019. 2 2 J OURNAL OF THEI NTERNATIONALC OLLEGE OFD ENTISTS'