By Danny Chan
In this first instalment of a six-part series, we sit down with three of the winners to uncover the philosophies, innovations and team dynamics behind their award-winning success.
The Australian Dental Awards 2025 gathered the nation’s top dental professionals for a glittering evening at the Melbourne Town Hall, the city’s cultural and civic centrepiece. The event honours individuals and practices pushing the boundaries of patient care, clinical outcomes, and professional leadership.
Among the night’s celebrated winners were Dr Paul Greham, named Implantologist of the Year; Dr Terry Yi Pu of Platypus Dental, who took home Young Dentist of the Year; and Adawn Dental Studio, which delivered a remarkable sweep of accolades including Practice of the Year (joint winner), Website of the Year, Practice Design and Brand of the Year, Best Practice Manager, Best Treatment Coordinator, and Receptionist of the Year.
We spoke with each winner about what drives their pursuit of dental excellence – and what these awards mean to them.
Dr Paul Greham
Implantologist of the Year 2025
For Paul Greham, winning Implantologist of the Year was the culmination of more than two decades of dedication. As lead clinical instructor with the Institute of Clinical Implantology (ICI), Dr Greham splits his time between teaching and working as a visiting surgeon across multiple Australian locations, including Devonport, Launceston, Latrobe, Sydney, and Noosa – a schedule that demands both clinical precision and logistical agility.
His approach to implantology is defined by an unrelenting focus on planning and predictability. Rather than simply asking whether an implant can be placed, Dr Greham asks whether it should – evaluating each case through the lens of long-term prosthetic restoration and patient maintenance. Every surgery is preceded by what he calls a “digital rehearsal,” a mental walkthrough of the procedure before any instrument is raised. A recent audit of his cases showed a 98.6% implant survival rate at five years.
Dr Greham is equally deliberate in how he leads his surgical teams. “Implant dentistry is not a solo sport,” he says, “and the surgeon who behaves as though it is will eventually be humbled by complications of their own making.” He fosters a culture where all team members –assistants included – are encouraged to voice concerns, and where restorative input is built into the planning phase rather than retrofitted after surgery.
Dr Greham has been approached by several implant manufacturers keen to collaborate on training initiatives. His upcoming “Implantology Foundations” course in Cairns through ICI (www.icidental.com.au) has attracted considerable interest.
“My goal as an educator has always been to demystify implantology for competent general dentists who want to practice at a higher level without gambling on their outcomes,” he reflects. “If the award is going to open any doors for me, it will be to raise others up in their knowledge, practice, and understanding.”
Adawn Dental Studio
A Six-Award Sweep
Practice of the Year 2025 (joint winner)
Website of the Year 2025
Practice Design and Brand of the Year 2025
Best Practice Manager 2025
Best Treatment Coordinator 2025
Receptionist of the Year
No practice made a bigger splash on the night than Adawn Dental Studio, whose six-category haul – Practice of the Year (joint winner), Website of the Year, Practice Design and Brand of the Year, Best Practice Manager, Best Treatment Coordinator, and Receptionist of the Year –reflected an organisation firing on every cylinder. The breadth of the recognition speaks to something the team at Adawn has always insisted upon: that great dentistry and great design aren’t separate disciplines.
“For us, design is intention made visible,” the practice explains. “We’ve never seen design and clinical care as separate investments. For us, they’re the same thing, just expressed in different ways.” That philosophy extends across every touchpoint – from a website described as “calm, considered, and clear” to a physical space characterised by natural light, quality materials, and cutting-edge technology. The goal was seamless continuity: “We wanted the first click to feel the same as the first step inside the practice.”
Underpinning the awards success is a culture of genuine investment in people. Adawn’s management philosophy holds that “culture is our brand” – meaning the team’s belief in what they’re doing is what makes the brand real. Patient Service Standards, tailored training pathways, and daily rhythms of accountability create the structure, but the team at Adawn is equally clear that structure without support doesn’t last. The result is a practice where, as they put it, “good people are given the environment and support to do meaningful work.”
The most telling measure of Adawn’s triumph isn’t in your usual KPIs or ROIs but rather the physical embodiment of what success looks and feels like. “Create an environment where patients feel safe and where the team feels valued, and the numbers tend to look after themselves,” says the practice. “The real return isn’t a metric. It’s the feeling of alignment when the way a place looks, the way it feels, and the way it cares for people all say the same thing.”
Perhaps Adawn best captures the spirit of the awards with this succinct pronouncement: “Our patients feel safe here. They trust us. And that is everything.”
Dr Terry Yi Pu
Young Dentist of the Year 2025
At Platypus Dental in Strathpine, Brisbane, Dr Terry Yi Pu has built something that defies the conventions of a start-up practice. Investing early in EMS Airflow guided biofilm therapy, intra-oral scanners, and AI-integrated diagnostics, he’s shaped a clinic that’s simultaneously forward-thinking and community-rooted – a combination that clearly resonated with the judges.
For Dr Pu, clinical excellence and business sustainability aren’t competing forces. “Launching this practice early in my career has provided a distinct advantage: the freedom to build Platypus Dental on a foundation of innovation rather than legacy habits,” he explains. His leadership philosophy is built on collaboration over hierarchy, with the practice working toward B Corp certification and aligning its culture with the B Impact Assessment standards – ensuring team members are motivated by more than clinical KPIs alone.
His multilingual ability – consulting in English, Chinese and Japanese – has enabled Platypus Dental to serve Brisbane’s diverse communities with genuinely culturally competent care. The practice has deepened a strategic partnership with Moreton Daily to support local independent journalism and has accelerated its journey toward Veri Visionary recognition through Veri Health.
To fellow young dentists, his advice is direct and values-led: “Define your ‘Why’ as early as possible.” He points to Platypus Dental’s non-clinical commitments – recycling initiatives, team blood donation drives, and community volunteering – as central to building a brand that patients feel proud to support. “True success is the quiet alignment of exceptional skill and selfless intent; the point where the art of dentistry becomes a gift to the world we share.”
