Dr Jayashree Bhanushali of the Indian Dentists Australia Association (IDAA) has seen many happy patients leave her practice, even if they’ve been in some pain. But patient Bill* was positively euphoric.
“I’ve just had four fillings, and got my teeth cleaned,” he beamed to his waiting friends. “And all for free!”
“His excitement was unforgettable,” Dr Bhanushali tells Indian Link. “The smile of his face and the happiness – I’ll remember that forever.”
It was one of the moments that made her group IDAA’s first community outreach initiative, held over two days in August, particularly rewarding.
Bill, a former university student who left his studies to go into a drug rehabilitation program, was among a group of 30 people receiving free dental treatment from the IDAA’s volunteer dentists. Many of them were facing significant personal and financial challenges.
For Dr Bhanushali, it was also the realisation of an ambition she had nurtured throughout her 25 years as a dentist in Sydney’s Hills District.
“I had treated patients from refugee backgrounds before, and found this social service to be intrinsically satisfying. To do more such service, I realised it would be better to do it through an association, so we could have more volunteers.”
The association is now exploring further outreach programs, including dental care for Australians experiencing financial hardship.
It is a remarkable journey for a group that began rather modestly.
In August 2021, five Indian-origin dentists started a WhatsApp group to connect with colleagues working across Sydney.
Many were in private practice, often with limited opportunities to consult one another outside of professional conferences.
“We wanted a common group where we could reach out to each other if we were stuck in a clinical or non-clinical situation,” Dr Bhanushali explains.
The group grew steadily, organising webinars, seminars and hands-on professional development courses. Its social gatherings became increasingly popular too.
The first get-together, held at Dr Bhanushali’s home, had attracted some 25 people – dentists and their families.
As membership and activities expanded, the founders recognised the need for a formal structure.
With encouragement from well-known medical practitioner Dr Subrahmanyam Sundar, the IDAA was officially launched in November 2025, at an event attended by community leader and Parramatta councillor Sameer Pandey.
Guidance from experienced community association administrator Onkaraswamy Goppenalli (or Swami as he is known) helped establish systems for managing events, finances and membership.
That prescribed structure has also allowed IDAA to expand its community activities impressively. At their first charity dinner in June this year, IDAA raised $10,000 for the Australian Dental Association Foundation. In October this year, the annual Diwali celebration was bigger than ever, with more than 80 guests attending.
Yet what distinguishes IDD is its willingness to look beyond oral health.
In its commemorative publication launched at the Diwali event, contributions address mental health, bullying in schools and on social media, the underlying causes of dental anxiety among Indian women, and organ donation.
One article, written by a Sydney-based clinical psychologist, was prompted by deeply troubling experiences involving young people known to Dr Bhanushali herself. As a dentist who regularly treats adolescents, she began wondering whether dental professionals might sometimes recognise signs of emotional distress.
“I acknowledge that dentists cannot prevent crisis, but believe that greater awareness could help practitioners recognise when a young patient may need additional support.”
For Dr Bhanushali this and other subjects like organ donation reflect a broader understanding of healthcare. And thanks to the relationships dentists develop with patients over many years, they are well placed to contribute to conversations about wellbeing.
And although IDAA began as a network for Indian-origin dentists, it is increasingly welcoming professionals from other backgrounds.
“We can learn from each other,” Dr Bhanushali says simply.
This openness extends to its community work, which is not restricted to Indian-Australians.
The association’s ambitions now include expanding its professional education programs, strengthening connections between practitioners and organising more opportunities to provide free treatment.
There are plans to explore additional wellbeing activities including yoga, while continuing to develop partnerships that can connect volunteers with people in need.
The association’s growing profile has also attracted the attention of the Consul General of India in Sydney, Dr S Janakiraman who invited its representatives to a gathering of community leaders at the Consulate.
For Dr Bhanushali, the growth of the Indian Dentists Australia Association is encouraging. But the greatest satisfaction comes not from membership numbers, successful celebrations or fundraising totals.
It comes from moments like that August afternoon when Bill walked out of the dental chair delighted with his newly restored teeth.
Sometimes, the impact of community service is written all over someone’s face.
* Not their real name
Learn more about the Indian Dentists Australia Association here
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