How did you get into paediatric dentistry?
When I was 10 years old, I saw a documentary on the BBC about the children’s hospital at Great Ormond Street. There was a man on the program called Jock Plint, who was an orthodontist and head of the dental department.
He was talking about babies who were born with a cleft of the lip and palate and what/how they could be managed. He spoke about how their families were supported by a team of different doctors, dentists and a therapist.
I turned to my parents (neither of whom are medical or dental) and said that I wanted to be a dentist who worked with children born with a cleft. The rest, as they say, is history! Fifty years on and I have my dream job: clinical director of a fabulous team of clinicians that provide great care to children born with a cleft in Victoria. How lucky am I?
How has paediatric dentistry changed since you specialised?
I think the greatest change since I became a paediatric dentist is that as a specialty, we now fully own our discipline and what we stand for. As a result, our colleagues in both oral and general healthcare – as well as increasingly within the community – recognise and respect that we’re not just about ‘little teeth in little adults’.
Rather, we are a group of highly skilled professionals who are committed to everything related to clinical care, education and research associated with children and their oral/dental health.
Over the past thirty years, one of the biggest gains has been the recognition and understanding of how oral health, particularly in the first five years of life, impacts future general health and wellbeing more broadly. Consequently, as a specialty we have had to step up into the role of advocate for some of the most vulnerable sectors of our society.
In my current role as AAPD president, it is with some pride that I note that despite our relatively small size in Australia and New Zealand, we can be proud of the contributions our organisation has made. Thanks to the achievements of many members past and present, we’re successfully promoting child oral health at both local, national and international levels.
What are 5 things you’ve learnt over your career to pass onto anyone new in their paediatric dentistry career?
- Ask, listen and – only when you have truly understood – talk. This was a particularly hard lesson for me!
- Parents know their child better than you. So, listen to them, even if you think they are talking rubbish.
- You can’t please everyone all the time. There have been times when I’ve wondered if I’ve pleased anyone at any time!
- There’s room for everyone in paediatric dentistry. Our patients, their families and their needs are diverse, so we need to reflect this.
- It’s a great career, enjoy it! But don’t let it own you.
- Bonus advice: Never hesitate to reach out for support or advice. Success is built on strong and trustful relationships: paediatric dentistry offers these in spades.
What do you love doing outside of paediatric dentistry?
I’ve become a somewhat obsessive bird watcher! Switching off the computer, grabbing my binoculars and heading out into the beautiful outdoors is such a treat. Every bird is truly beautiful, and it is such a privilege to observe them play out their lives in their natural habitat.
AND if you didn’t know, all birds are born with a cleft of the palate. So, in truth I may not be ‘at work’ or not even ‘working from home’ but I am ‘working from the outdoors’!
I also play the viola, having once been described as ‘good for my age’. However, at nearly 60, I don’t think I can claim that status any longer.
Finally, I continue to run, for both my physical and mental health. I was really proud last November to complete my first half marathon for over decade – and I didn’t’ have to walk any of it. Not bad for an ‘old person’ I reckon.
