December 2022

Leadership keynote

Keynote Speaking, Leadership / February 3, 2023

Congratulations to the Australian Chinese Medical Association SA for celebrating their 30th Anniversary this year. It was an honour to be the keynote speaker at their Charity Gala Dinner supporting Citizen Advocacy South Australia Inc, and share my passion for leadership building.

My leadership transformation started in 2017 when I undertook a 12 month leadership program, and then became a leadership coach the following year. Over the years my concept of leadership has evolved to these two sentences:

1. Leadership is not a role, position, or title.

2. Leadership is one life influencing another.

This concept of leadership means that every one of us is a leader. Whether we know it or not, whether we like it or not, we are all influencing others on a daily basis through our words, attitudes and actions, and it’s up to us to decide what kind of an influence we want to make.

The calibre of the audience’s participation in our leadership deep dive was formidable! Thank you to the Honourable Chris Picton, South Australian Minister for Health and Wellbeing for your attendence and engagement – looking forward to continuing to collaborate in the leadership space!

We are all leaders. What separates an impactful leader is whether they are conscious and intentional about their influence. As 2022 draws to a close, let’s all reflect on what kind of leadership do we want to consciously cultivate in 2023, for our colleagues, our families and our community

Wishing you all a fulfilling new year!

#leadership #keynotespeaker #advocacy

ABC Adelaide oral health tips

Advocacy, Special needs dentistry / February 3, 2023

Thank you to ABC Adelaide and Emma Pedler for the opportunity to share practical strategies on how to look after you and your loved one’s oral health over the festive season!

You can listen from this link, starts at 1 hour 31 minutes: https://www.abc.net.au/adel…/programs/drive/drive/14122200

Emma asked what my wish was for 2023, my answer was for as many people as possible to spread the message that “Brushing teeth saves lives” to help prevent oral health from being a barrier to people living the full length of their life and their full quality of life through being able to eat, speak and smile! The life that every person has the right to live.

#specialneedsdentistry #oralhealthadvocacy

The right to smile

Advocacy, Keynote Speaking, Special needs dentistry / February 3, 2023

David Washington and I first started our conversations about inclusion and oral healthcare in a Q&A with over 700 people at the Australian of the Year Luncheon. Last week, we continued the conversation in studio, with a deep dive into oral health inequities, my views on disability as a social construct as opposed to a medicalised model, solutions I have been advocating for throughout this year with reflections on its impact, and a sneak preview into initiatives I will be working on in future.

Thank you David for the opportunity for these important messages to reach more listeners through the @indaily podcast: https://omny.fm/shows/notes-on-adelaide/the-right-to-smile

#specialneedsdentistry #oralhealthadvocacy #inclusionadvocacy #ausoftheyear

Camp quality service medallion

Special needs dentistry / February 3, 2023

So delighted to receive this volunteer service medallion from Camp Quality and support their mission to improve the quality of life for children living with cancer and their families.

Drawing upon the experiences of my family members with cancer and my patients with head and neck cancer, I’ve seen how support and connection is a critical part of determining cancer treatment outcomes, and this is now confirmed by studies which show social support affects the prognosis, survival and quality of life for people with cancer and other chronic diseases. So an integral part of caring for my patients involves  connecting them with support services, and it was through facilitating these connections that I discovered Camp Quality. What I loved about their programs was they support not only the children, but also the siblings and parents – recognising that cancer doesn’t just impact the individual, it impacts the families and those that support them.

Wanting to help my patients beyond my role as a dentist, over the last 5 years I’ve volunteered for their camps and events, and have seen the healing power created through shared experience and fostering hope and optimism. I am grateful to be a part of the important contributions of Camp Quality and look forward to serving for many years to come!

#campquality #volunteering #specialneedsdentistry #headandneckcancer#cancersupport

International day of people with disability 2022

Advocacy, Inclusion and diversity / December 3, 2022

Thank you to our Premier Peter Malinauskas for inviting me to attend the state dinner celebrating the Adelaide 500 last night. It was wonderful to continue our conversations regarding the importance of oral healthcare access and pass on this T shirt in celebration of International Day of People with Disability today! This day creates the opportunity to raise awareness and improve understanding of people with disabilities, so we can build a more inclusive community. Many people are unaware that Australians with an intellectual disability die 20 years younger than the general population, and the leading cause of their premature death is lung disease caused by inhaling dental plaque. I don’t want Australians to be dying from something that is so preventable, so thank you Premier for helping to spread the message that, “Brushing teeth saves lives!”

#idpwd2022 #specialneedsdentistry #oralhealthadvocacy #disabilityinclusion