Breakout sessions
Breakout 1: Research and emerging trends
Chair: Clare Lin, Director of Policy, Oral Health Victoria
Topics: this session showcases a diverse range of studies addressing critical gaps in oral health across Australia and beyond. Topics include:
- geographic disparities in dental workforce distribution
- innovative co-design approaches for managing temporomandibular disorder pain via mobile apps
- integration of AI in public oral healthcare
- impact of vaping on the oral microbiome
- the psychological effects of orthodontic treatment
- the implications of the 2024 LGA Oral Health Profiles.
Learn more about these studies for inclusive, tech-enabled, and policy-informed approaches to improve oral health outcomes.
Breakout 2: Advances in clinical practice
Chair: Werner Bischof, Chief Oral Health Officer, Oral Health Victoria
Topic: Digital workflows for public health
Presented by Liam Bradford of IPC Health, this session explores the benefits of using digital denture workflows in public dental services. The talk will demonstrate how these modern methods can significantly improve efficiency, reduce costs, and lead to better patient outcomes compared to traditional denture fabrication. Bradford's presentation highlights a transformative solution for public health, which often operates with tight budgets and high patient volumes.
Topic: Resin composites for challenging dental cases
Presented by Dr Michael Wylie from the Melbourne Dental School, this session focuses on the use of resin composite materials to treat deep caries and heavily broken-down teeth. Dr Wylie will discuss the evidence-based reasoning for choosing resin composites over other options like indirect or metallic restorations. The presentation will provide insights into how clinicians can achieve aesthetic, strong, and long-lasting results for patients in these challenging scenarios.
Breakout 3: Population Health – local action, meaningful change
Chair: Amy Patterson, Director of Population Health, Oral Health Victoria
Topic: Oral Health Champions in early parenting centres
Melanie Tyler, a Child Life Therapist from Murrumbek Casey Early Parenting Centre, Monash Health, will show how "Oral Health Champions" are being used to help families integrate better oral hygiene into their daily routines. The session will also discuss plans for this program.
Topic: Integrating Oral cancer screening into general practice
Dr Stephanie Muller, a general practitioner from Wingrove Medical Clinic, Fairfield, will share the results of a pilot project that introduced oral cancer screening at her general practice. She'll discuss how training and new tools helped with early detection and referral, and the importance of prevention and collaboration across different sectors.
Topic: Loddon Dry Toothbrushing Initiative
Annette Toohey, Manager of Community Partnerships for The Department of Fairness, Families and Housing, will present a pilot program that's teaching dry toothbrushing to preschoolers in the Loddon region. This initiative aims to improve the oral health of rural children, especially those in out-of-home care, and address the lack of fluoridation in some areas.
Breakout 4: Value-Based Healthcare – delivering on the promise
Chair: Sonia Coleman, Director of Value Based Healthcare, Oral Health Victoria
This session focuses on delivering more effective, person-centred care through collaboration and consumer engagement.
Topic: Deep listening, shared design: From consultation to consumer engagement
A co-design expert and a consumer representative will explore how to include consumer perspectives in designing healthcare systems and services. The discussion will cover practical steps like diversifying consumer registers and building stronger partnerships to create a more collaborative approach to public oral health.
Topic: Care that connects: Understanding what matters most
This presentation will highlight peer-to-peer models that use lived experience to provide care built on trust and understanding. It will show how these peer-led approaches are transforming care, easing pressure on healthcare systems, and rebuilding community connections.
Topic: Working together: Aligning systems for impact
This session will showcase how Community Dental Agencies are implementing integrated care models. It will also address the challenges to scaling these approaches, such as fragmented funding and workforce shortages, and discuss what is needed to overcome them through shared accountability and multi-disciplinary collaboration.
