January 2023

Citizenship ceremony speech

Inclusion and diversity, Keynote Speaking, Leadership / February 3, 2023

It was an honour to be a part of the City of Unley’s Citizenship Ceremony and address our new Australian Citizens with a message to embrace every part of their history, their cultural heritage, and their story – because this shapes who we are, and each person’s uniqueness and diversity contributes to enriching our community and makes Australia an amazing place to call our home.

Australia Day is a day which holds great significance for many Australians. It is important to acknowledge and respect the diversity of views within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities surrounding January 26. There are parts of our history that are painful, and there are also parts in which we can derive hope, and pride.

I take great pride in the fact that Australia is home to the oldest continuing living culture in the entire world. And I also take pride in the fact that when half a million Europeans were displaced by World War II, Australia granted asylum to many refugees. Every part of our history forms the rich tapestry of who we are as a nation today and will continue to be an integral part of who we become in the future.

I see Australia Day as an opportunity to promote understanding, respect and reconciliation. We can all play a part to ensure Australia Day is one of inclusion and unity for all Australians, by being open and respectfully hearing every person’s view of what this day represents for them.

Today I reflect upon how grateful I am to be an Australian, in a community with a wonderful diversity of people and cultures, from our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have been here for more than 65,000 years, to the people who have come from all corners of the globe to call our country home.

#inclusionanddiversity #australiaday #alwaysisandalwayswillbe #ausoftheyear

Patient advocacy

Advocacy, Leadership / February 3, 2023

I believe that as healthcare professionals, it is important for us to be a voice for our patients who cannot, or are not in a position to speak up for themselves. Persistence is an important part of advocacy. For so many years my patient’s oral health struggles remained unheard, unseen and invisible. It was privilege to bring visibility to my patient’s struggles to the South Australian Minister for Health and Wellbeing, the Honourable Chris Picton, Gemma Paech, Minister Picton’s Chief of Staff, and Peter Jensen, Health Adviser to Minister Picton, and have a fruitful discussion on avenues to improve equitable access to oral healthcare for South Australians. Thank you to all the oral health advocates who have come before me and continue to advocate for our patients – their struggles are being seen and our collective voices are being heard.

#advocacy #oralhealth #specialneedsdentistry

YLead Altitude Day keynote

Keynote Speaking, Leadership / February 3, 2023

Speaking on leadership at yLead’s Altitude Day stands out as one of the most rewarding experiences of 2022. Equipping young people with the skills and tools to tackle the challenges that come their way, whilst empowering them to have a positive impact on their community is more important than ever in the complex world we live in. And so, I am thrilled to be delivering the keynote at YLead’s 2023 Australian Student Leadership Conference this weekend and bringing my passion in leadership coaching to Year 11 and 12 students across South Australia. Thank you YLead for supporting young people to unlock their potential, as age is not a limiting factor for impact.

#leadership #keynotespeaker #youngleaders

Truly inclusive oral healthcare

Advocacy, Inclusion and diversity, Special needs dentistry / February 3, 2023

Every person deserves access to oral healthcare, but there are barriers which exclude many people from attending a clinic or a hospital. This includes people with physical disability or mobility challenges due to chronic pain, people with autism who have sensory sensitivities, people who find it difficult to leave their homes due to agoraphobia, anxiety or multiple severe allergies. Aligning with my passion for inclusion and reaching those who face the most barriers to accessing care, it has been an incredible first week partnering with Respect Dental’s mobile dental service and creating access to specialist oral healthcare services for people who otherwise would not be able to receive it, in the comfort of their own homes and living facilities.

I am looking forward to contributing to this truly inclusive service in our shared mission of creating more equitable oral health outcomes for every person, regardless of their age, race, gender, medical status and whether or not they have a disability, as every person deserves the right to eat, speak and smile freely.

#oralhealthcare #specialneedsdentistry #mobiledentalservices #equityandinclusion #patientcentredcare