Providing care to remote and underserved communities is the driving force being Dr Jilen Patel’s passion for paediatric dentistry. Jilen is kept busy as a senior lecturer at the University of Western Australia, as well as working as a paediatric specialist at Perth Children’s Hospital and private practice. Yet, he still finds time to work on initiatives that lead to better oral health for children in the wider community.

Dr Ashika Lathif says she was brought into the specialist niche thorough a mix of luck, mentors and the joy of working with children. Now that she’s emersed in the world of paediatric dentistry, she says the possibilities when working in the specialty are endless.

After working for five years as a general dentist, Dr Naomi Kottege decided to get her specialist accreditation. Now, working at Canberra’s sole paediatric practice, Naomi loves the variety the profession provides, and the hilarious one-liners said by some of her patients.