Teaching families about oral health through app-based gaming

Our mouths contain billions of microbes. Increasing evidence suggests they are important for our oral and overall health, but modern diets are causing problems

Are you interested in understanding more about what life will be like once you graduate? Would you like advice about further study, career pathways, job applications, interviews, networking and more?

In 2017 Professor Eric Reynolds from the Melbourne Dental School won the Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation, recognising his invention and commercialisation of RECALDENT.

Deadline : 13 February 2020. We hope you will be able to join us in Budapest.

On Tuesday 17 December, refurbished technical teaching spaces officially opened at the Melbourne Dental School.

A vaccine for periodontal gum disease, which affects a third of all adults globally, is in development following a $14 million investment into newly-formed biotech company Denteric Pty Ltd.

The University of Melbourne’s new Centre for Oral Health Research will to develop novel diagnostics, therapeutic and preventive oral care products to substantially lower the social and economic burden of the major chronic oral diseases.

Meet our fabulous Graduating Bachelor of Oral Health Class of 2019 who recently presented their Oral Health Therapy Research projects at a School Research Day.

Dr. Wenyi Li was recently awarded Early Career Researcher Grant. This is a highly competitive and prestigious scheme that supports early career researchers with high research potential to progress their careers by funding high quality research projects and pilot research projects.

Congratulations to Tami Yap who received the Early Career Researcher Grant of $39968.13 for her proposal “Clinical-molecular risk concept integration in oral potentially malignant disorders”. Tami’s research focuses on  improving care for patients with precancerous skin changes.

One of the major successes from the research carried out at the Melbourne Dental School is the development of the product Recaldent™

A new Tissue culture area to allow students and staff to perform exciting research using Human Oral Cells.

The days are getting longer and the weather warmer. This change in season, means many staff and students choose to use the University facilities late into the evening, particularly as exams approach.

The Melbourne Dental School is delighted to announce the appointment of Professor Alastair J Sloan as the new Head of the Melbourne Dental School, commencing in January 2020.

iDENTify: Early identification of type 2 diabetes & pre-diabetes in the oral healthcare setting.

Meet Professor Julie Satur who is leading partnership work for the Melbourne Dental School in East Arnhem land to improve oral health for Aboriginal people.

Dr Roisin McGrath welcomed over 1,100 dental hygienists, dental therapists and oral health therapists from 34 countries around the globe at the 21st International Symposium on Dental Hygiene (ISDH).

Melbourne Dental School PhD student Ali Mohammed is the 2019 recipient of the Rowden White Scholarship.

Thank you for your contribution towards the 2019 Open Day

After the success of last year’s inaugural Reunion Weekend we are delighted to present this year’s program. Reunion Weekend 2019 will take place on Friday 29 and Saturday 30 November.

Meet: Qiannan (Wendy) Huang, Doctor of Dental Surgery–"Studying at Melbourne really broadened my horizons and further enhanced my passion and determination to help people through dentistry."

Meet: William Hong, Doctor of Dental Surgery–"I was attracted to the lifestyle and routine of dentistry, and the fact that there is scope to increase knowledge and skillsets beyond university – the learning doesn't end once I graduate!"

The Melbourne Dental School is offering a variety of exciting projects for students in 2020.

Meet: Jiamin Aw, Honours and PhD–Jiamin finished her PhD in 2018 and her Bachelor of Science (Honours) in 2013 at the University of Melbourne. Jiamin's Honours year and PhD were both completed at the Melbourne Dental School.

Meet: Grace Sun, PhD–Grace started her PhD at the Melbourne Dental School (University of Melbourne) after completing her Bachelor of Dental Surgery and Masters at Shandong University back home in China. She is the recipient of numerous scholarships including the 2018 Rowden White Scholarship.

Meet: Dr Dhana Gorasia–Dr Dhana Gorasia is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow within the Oral Biology Research Group at the Melbourne Dental School. Dr Gorasia's main research focus is to understand the Type IX Secretion system which is used by Porphyrmonas gingivalis to secrete its virulence factors to the cell surface.

Meet: Dr Catherine Butler–Dr Catherine Butler is a Senior Research Fellow within the Oral Biology Research Group at the Melbourne Dental School. Dr Butler has been researching at the Melbourne Dental School for 18 years.

Meet: Dr Rita Hardiman–Dr Rita Hardiman is a Senior Lecturer within the Oral Anatomy, Medicine, Surgery (OAMS) and Special Needs Dentistry group at the Melbourne Dental School. Dr Hardiman's research interests lie in human anatomy and mineralised tissue (bones, teeth, and dental calculus). She has been researching and teaching at the Melbourne Dental School for 9 years.

For Dental Health Week (5-11 August), Associate Professor Matthew Hopcraft from the Melbourne Dental School joined ABC Radio National's Life Matters for a special episode on dentistry.

Professor Stuart Dashper from the Melbourne Dental School is a co-researcher for the collaborative Victorian Oral Microbiome and Lifestyle Study currently being featured as part of Melbourne Museum's Gut Feelings exhibition. The study involves collecting saliva donated by visitors for analysis by researchers.

From Caserta (Italy) to Melbourne, Dr Antonio Celentano, Senior Lecturer in Special Care Dentistry at the Melbourne Dental School, studies the anti-neoplastic effects of Kava roots extracts in oral cancer.

This year we celebrate the 135th Anniversary of the establishment of the Odontological Society of Victoria in 1884, which brought about the development of the first dental school in Victoria.

Applications have been extended to Friday 2 August 2019. Don't miss this chance!

Meet: Harrie Suthendran, Doctor of Dental Surgery– "I am privileged to be surrounded by researchers, educators and clinicians: dentists, specialists and surgeons, within the hospital and community. I am continually inspired by the many brilliant clinicians that are impacting patients' lives and progressing dentistry forward."

Melbourne Dental School PhD candidate Yi Fan achieved tremendous success at the recent International Association for Dental Research (IADR) General Session & Exhibition in Vancouver, Canada.

Meet: Dominique Lung, Doctor of Dental Surgery– "I have wanted to be a dentist since I was about 9 years old, and I am really happy to have had the opportunity to fulfil a childhood dream."

Teaching facilities at the Melbourne Dental School are getting bigger and better.

At the end of 2018, a team of Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) students from the Melbourne Dental School volunteered for One-2-One CAMBODIA. DDS student, William Hong, led his team to provide oral health education and treatment. William shares his recount of the trip with us.

ABC Life recently enlisted the help of oral biology expert, Dr Samantha Byrne from the Melbourne Dental School, to weigh in on whether or not you should share your toothbrush with your partner or skip a night of brushing.

Oral cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers affecting Australians. In 2019, an individual's risk of cancer in the head and neck region will be 1 in 48 by their 85th birthday.

Dentistry at Melbourne has once again been ranked number one in Australia.

A new study has found genetic makeup does not predispose people to tooth decay, however the research did find that children with overweight mothers are more likely to have cavities.

Teddy Bear Hospitals provide health care students with the opportunity to interact with children and develop communication skills, while children are introduced to the health care consultation process.

Two of our prominent researchers, Eric Reynolds and Glenn Walker are gaining world recognition for study finding evidence that a pathogen involved in gum disease can be found in the brain of Alzheimer's patients.

See the exciting and diverse range of projects available Scholarships also available!

Tackling dental disease in remote communities is about cooperation and understanding local perspectives to improve access to services and apply policy research.

"These are graduates that we expect to be leading, indeed likely transforming, health care and research," said the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, Professor Shitij Kapur.

On Tuesday 1 May, the Melbourne Dental School was pleased to hold an afternoon tea celebration to announce the inaugural recipient of the Marina and Alexis Keskevich Scholarship.

Laureate Professor Eric Reynolds AO (Melbourne Dental School, University of Melbourne) has been awarded the 2017 Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation in Australia’s Premier's Science Awards.

A collection of leg bones at the Melbourne Dental School was originally intended to play a key role in forensic medicine, but unexpected discoveries along the way have opened up whole new areas of research from bone strength to ageing.

Have your say on the Faculty's Green Paper Towards 2027, which marks the final stage before we present our new Strategic Plan.

Bacteria in your mouth can wreak havoc in your body but research is on its way to developing a new vaccine. Neglecting your pearly whites can lead to a lot more than the odd filling.

Video welcome from Professor Shitij Kapur, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences.

Australia is in the midst of a Sugardemic. More than 50 per cent of Australian children have tooth decay with an annual cost of $4.6 billion.

Around 2,700 Victorian children aged 0-­6 years are hospitalised each year for preventable dental conditions – most of them requiring treatment of dental decay under general anaesthetic.

Tiny, star-shaped molecules are effective at killing bacteria that can no longer be killed by current antibiotics, new research shows.

Academic success for Doctor of Dental Surgery and Bachelor of Oral Health students at the University of Melbourne.

Most people remember braces as yet another part of an awkward adolescence: metal tracks, elastic bands, and unfortunate food choices.

Scientists at the University of Melbourne's Oral Health Cooperative Research Centre have warned about the damage sugar-free drinks can do to tooth enamel.

Melbourne Dental School students volunteered their time with the Sydney Poche Centre to provide dental care to children in remote Indigenous communities.

As part of the Bachelor of Oral Health curriculum, students undertake a research project with a public health focus designed to extend their skills in one aspect of oral health therapy practice.

The Teddy Bear Hospital is an educational program organised and run by student volunteers.

Melbourne Dental School staff members Dr Samantha Byrne and Dr Rebecca Wong were recipients of the 2014 Awards for Excellence in Teaching.

The Melbourne Dental School has embedded Indigenous health education in the Bachelor of Oral Health by offering students the opportunity to learn about the obstacles facing Indigenous Australian communities seeking or receiving care.