The University of Sydney School of Dentistry

Dr. Rahena Akhter is an Associate Professor and Discipline Head of Cariology at the Sydney Dental School (SDS), Faculty of Medicine and Health, the University of Sydney. She specializes in Preventive Dentistry (PhD, Hokkaido University, Japan), expert in teaching caries management system (CMS) in the Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) and Bachelor of Oral Health Therapy (BOH) Program at SDS. She received "outstanding Teaching Award" at SDS in the University of Sydney in 2022. Her broad experience, gained in Japan, Bangladesh, and Australia, has included working closely with high caries risk patients, Cerebral Palsy patients, maternal health, and other developmentally disabled patients at dental public hospitals. She is also an AHPRA registered current practicing dental clinician in Sydney.

Prior to joining the University of Sydney, Dr Rahena Akhter served as a Lecturer at the School of Dentistry and Health Sciences, Charles Sturt University (CSU) where she led as a Year 2 coordinator and subject coordinator for Dental Clinical Practice 2. She received prestigious Japan Government Monbusho scholarship during her PhD @ Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan. Dr. Akhter was appointed as a faculty (Assistant Professor) in the Department of Preventive Dentistry, Okayama University, Japan where she continued (2007-2009) her academic career. In 2009, Dr Akhter earned the prestigious Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in the Jaw Function and Orofacial Pain Research Unit at the Faculty of Dentistry, the University of Sydney, Australia and promoted to Lecturer in 2011.

Dr Akhter published 62 peer-reviewed articlesin high impact leading journals in Dentistry and 82 conference proceeding articles. Currently, her total H index is 24 and most of her publications are in Q1 journals. Dr Akhter presented more than 80 national and international conferences and invited as a symposium speaker and Panel discussion member in several countries (e.g., Korea, Japan, Spain, USA, London, Canada, Italy, Australia etc). She achieved several competitive “research grants (internal and external)” in Australia namely Equity Seed grant 2023, capex grant 2023-24, ACFF 2019; Wrigley Community grant 2018; Bupa grant 2019; ACSIHAG grant (2015-18); ADRF, 2014-2015; International Program Development Fund (IPDF), 2012-2014; USYD fellowship grant, 2009-2012 and Japan (Wakate B, Young Investigator Research Grant 2009, Start-up, 2008, UNESCO Japan Funds-in-Trust, 2007) etc. She has supervised several PhD, MPhil, postgrad, and undergrad Honorsstudents in completion at USYD.

Dr Akhter achieved several “competitive awards” in the field of Dental research, she has been awarded 2018 IADRANZ Division Investigator Award in Preventive and Community Dentistry at the 58th Annual Scientific Meeting of the IADR ANZ Division, Perth Australia.She also achieved "Joseph Lister Award" 2015 in IADR Boston, Massachusetts’s, “Young Investigator Neuroscience Research Award” in IADR, San Diego USA 2011, "2^ndAsian Academy of Temporomandibular Disorder Best Research" Award in Hiroshima, Japan 2011 and “Research in Prevention Travel Award” in Baltimore IADR 2005.In 2015, she had been awarded Faculty and Division Research Excellence at CSU.

She had been a successful international collaborator and continued several research projects with several countries (e.g., Denmark, Australia, Netherland, Switzerland, Japan, Indonesia, and Bangladesh etc). She was a “Secretary” in the Western Division branch of the Australian Dental Association (ADA) from 2014-2015. She was the founder and section councillor of Western division of NSW International Association for Dental Research (IADR) division. She is serving as a section councillor at the IADR ANZ Sydney Division since 2017 as well as member at the IADR cariology research group.

She has held numerous leadership positions in Sydney Dental School (SDS) and externally at both State and National level, including SDS faculty representative at USYD.She had been the active member of various international societies (e.g., IADR, IASP, APS, AAPD, ANZAOP etc).In addition, she was the chair of the Local Organizing Committee of the International Association for Dental Research Australia and New Zealand (IADR ANZ) conference, hosted by the Sydney Dental School, 2023. She oversaw conference planning and the hosting of the event. More than 200 national and international delegates attended. She also chaired a Cariology symposium (Prevention and minimal intervention in caries management) and an oral session (Cariology / Oral Health Research 2 / Oral-Systemic links) at the conference. She presented recently at the FDI Conference @ Sydney 2023.

She is a steering committee member at Sydney Mosaic and founder of the Westmead mosaic foundation where she hosted the “Westmead Mosaic and Pride Lunchtime Gathering” 2023 to encourage Westmead community building.

She is an editorial board member and reviewer of several high impact international journals. She achieved Vice Chancellor’s Sponsorship award for CALD women in 2019. She is a fellow in the International College of Dentists (ICD).

Her clinical research interests relate to oral health and systemic disease (e.g., cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cerebral palsy etc.) and working on caries management in children and adolescents, adults, pregnant women including risk assessment (e.g., caries, periodontal disease), dental sealants, Silver di amine FL, oral biofilms as it relates to caries development and/or prevention, secondary caries, caries remineralization, and early caries detection. She is passionate about “No drill no fill” concept and believes that understanding of caries management system and its implementation in patient management is strongly needed today.

Melanie Aley (nee Hayes) is currently an Associate Professor and the Director of Oral Health and Bachelor of Oral Health Program Director in the Sydney School of Dentistry. She teaches evidence-based practice and professional practice, as well as personal and professional development modules for first-year students. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK) and an Accredited University-wide Peer Reviewer of Teaching.

Prior to her current role, Mel was the the Head of Work Integrated Learning, in the School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health. Her role involved academic leadership of the WIL team and strategic planning, as well as teaching and coordinating professional placement units in Health Sciences. Previously she was involved in teaching Industry and Community Project Units, which provide senior students from all Faculties the opportunity to work together on real-world problems for industry partners.

Mel held academic positions at the University of Newcastle and the University of Melbourne, coordinating and teaching courses in the Bachelor of Oral Health programs, and supervising Honours and HDR students.

Education:

• 2021 Graduate Certificate in Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing in Education, Flinders University
• 2017 Masters of Education (Major: Career Development), Queensland University of Technology
• 2015 Graduate Certificate in Advanced Learning and Leadership, University of Melbourne
• 2014 Graduate Certificate in the Practice of Tertiary Teaching, University of Newcastle
• 2013 Doctor of Philosophy (Oral Health), University of Newcastle
• 2008 Bachelor of Health Science Honours (Class I), University of Newcastle
• 2007 Bachelor of Oral Health, University of Newcastle

Nathan Aulsebrook is a Lecturer in the Bachelor of Oral Health program at the Sydney Dental School, University of Sydney. His work focuses on work-integrated learning and improving student experiences on clinical placements, with particular interest in evidence-informed approaches to enhance preparation, transition, and supervision in clinical environments. He is currently undertaking a PhD on this topic, and his broader academic interests include curriculum design, interprofessional education, and strategies that support equitable access to high-quality clinical learning opportunities.

Dr Buchanan is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Endodontics at the University of Sydney.

BOralHlth GCertOralHlthSc (Adel) GCertEdStudies (HigherEd) (Syd) MBA (Accounting) (S.Cross) FHEA PhD Candidate (Qld)

William 'CJ' Carlson-Jones is an Oral Health Therapist currently working as a Lecturer in the Discipline of Oral Health with the University of Sydney.

CJ brings a wealth of clinical experience within public and private dental practice in rural South Australia, and in clinical education teaching into the undergraduate and postgraduate oral health programs at the University of Adelaide.

Completing his undergraduate and postgraduate studies in oral health, education and business administration, CJ has strong aspirations to raise awareness of the important roles played by oral health professionals in improving access to care. CJ has also commenced further studies undertaking a Doctor of Philosophy with the University of Queensland. His research focuses primarily on the oral health workforce in Australia, and the development of a validated tool to better describe and measure scope of practice in dentistry.

In addition to his clinical and educational roles, CJ is a Past President and Life Member of the Australian Dental & Oral Health Therapists' Association (ADOHTA), now the Oral Health Association of Australia (OHAA). He is a strong advocate for a team approach to dental care. CJ has been actively involved in the association for many years and continues to passionately advocate for the oral health profession. His experience as a long-standing board director has equipped him with a wide range of skills relating to governance, advocacy, business, and financial management. He continues to strive for high-level corporate governance through his previous membership with the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).

CJ also served as a founding representative on the Colgate Advocates for Oral Health: Editorial Community from 2019-2023. The group stands as an editorial community which aims to empower and educate the dental profession and wider communities on the importance of preventative oral health. Membership is comprised of dentists, oral health therapists, and students across Australia & New Zealand. He has published numerous editorial articles on their platform on topics including career development, rural practice, inter-professional practice, mental health for dental professionals, sustainability, social responsibility, communication, consent and clinical considerations in dentistry, and the phases of care framework for dental treatment planning.

BDS, GradDipClinDent(SurgDent), DCD(Oral Surgery), GCertEd(HigherEd), MRACDS, FHEA

Dr Ying Shi Chang is a senior lecturer at the Sydney Dental School. She achieved her Bachelor of Dental Surgery qualification from the University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka. A registered specialist Oral Surgeon with the Dental Board of Australia, she obtained her specialist qualification Doctor of Clinical Dentistry (Oral Surgery) from the University of Sydney. She holds membership in specialist dental practice by the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons and a Fellowship certificate in Advanced Higher Education Academy. Passionate about giving back to the dental profession Ying Shi has been involved in educating, training, and mentoring future dentists. Over the past decade she has been involved in the oral surgery teaching programmes at both Charles Sturt University and the University of Sydney. 

Rebecca Chen is a Lecturer (Education Focused) in the Population Oral Health team at the Sydney Dental School.

Rebecca is a student-focused, evidence-based, innovative clinician academic. She has more than 15 years of combined work experience in the higher education sector and dental public health policy within NSW Health. Rebecca has a track record of scholarly teaching output and a broad research skill set focused on equity and innovation for better oral health outcomes.

Rebecca has developed innovative educational programs to enhance preventive oral healthcare practices among clinicians to improve patient outcomes. Her notable contributions include supporting the Centre for Oral Health Strategy and the various stakeholders in developing the NSW Health COVID-19 guidelines for dental services. Rebecca has also contributed to policies and projects related to value-based oral healthcare, virtual oral healthcare, and dental referrals from Emergency Departments.

In her previous roles within NSW Health Rebecca conducted research to develop COVID-19 Infection control guidelines for dental practices, value-based models of care and advocacted for oral health inequalities by drafting documents that have enabled coordinated initiatives for targeted funding in oral health from the NHMRC.

As an early career researcher, Rebecca has secured substantial funding for projects, notably for a mHealth program designed to support behaviour change in families at risk of early childhood dental caries. Her research contributions have an equity lens and span the fields of epidemiology, digital health, implementation science, health workforce models, and interdisciplinary health education. Her work has been utilised by NSW Health and evidence-focused organisations like the Sax Institute, reflecting her research impact on oral healthcare policy and practice.

Kyle Cheng is a Lecturer in the Discipline of Oral Health at the University of Sydney. He serves as the Paediatrics Discipline Lead and Clinical Educator Coordinator for the Bachelor of Oral Health program, and is a Unit of Study Coordinator for second-year oral health students. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK) and a Clinical Teaching Fellow, with a strong commitment to excellence in health professions education and clinical teaching.

Bradley Christian is an AHPRA-registered specialist in Public Health Dentistry and Associate Professor of Population Oral Health at the University of Sydney School of Dentistry, where he directs the Master of Dental Public Health - the only specialist training program in Australia. He also leads the Westmead Oral Health Research Hub, a partnership with Western Sydney Local Health District to embed a Learning Health System in public dental services, and is Deputy Director of the Australian Centre for Integration of Oral Health at Western Sydney University. Dr Christian holds a BDS, MDSc (Hons), PhD in Health Services, and completed a residency in Dental Public Health at the National Institutes of Health, USA. Having worked extensively across both academics and health services, he brings a deep understanding of the contemporary issues affecting population oral health as well as strategic operational issues across both industries.

His research focuses on preventing oral diseases through population health, service integration and implementation science, with a particular interest in linking oral health to primary care and chronic disease prevention. He has secured approximately $1.8 million in funding as lead investigator and contributed as co-investigator to a further $6.5 million in competitive grants.

He has an established track record in global oral health, with contributions to the WHO Global Oral Health Programme, leadership roles with the International Association for Dental Research; and collaborations across Asia and the Pacific, including programs in Timor-Leste, India and the Pacific Islands. He is a Fellow of the International College of Dentists.

As Associate Professor Population Oral Health, he actively contributes to and provides leadership in research and scholarship, education, development and innovation in health services and health policy in the area of Population Oral Health as well as collaborating with partners within the broader community.

Lauren is dedicated to oral health as a clinician, educator, and researcher. With experience across both private and public sectors, she brings a commitment to shaping compassionate, patient-centred clinicians through supportive learning environments. Having joined the School as an Academic Intern with the Bachelor of Oral Health last year, Lauren now takes on the roles of Lecturer and third-year unit of study coordinator with the BOH, and Lecturer (Education Focused) in Population Oral Health across both the BOH and DMD programmes. She brings valuable experience teaching BOH students in the acute care setting at Sydney Dental Hospital, where she has fostered intercollaborative learning between BOH and DMD students; an approach she is passionate about continuing, as she believes working together across disciplines is essential preparation for real-world clinical practice.

Lauren recently completed her PhD through the University of Sydney, which focused on the connection between oral health and cardiovascular disease. Her research includes studies on oral health education in hospital settings and innovative protocols for integrating digital oral health interventions into cardiac rehabilitation. Beyond her academic roles, Lauren serves as Deputy Chair of the Oral Health Association of Australia (NSW Branch) and as the NSW Oral Health Representative for the Public Health Association of Australia, reflecting her commitment to advancing oral health within broader public health strategies.

Professor M. Ali Darendeliler is Chair of the Discipline of Orthodontics at the Faculty of Dentistry and Head of Sydney Dental Hospital’s Department of Orthodontics. He is an orthodontist, academic and internationally renowned researcher leading a multifaceted research program in orthodontics. His team investigates the mechanics of tooth movement, the effect of orthodontic therapy on biological tissues and root resorption, multidisciplinary management of obstructive sleep apnoea including the use of mandibular advancement splints, temporary anchorage devices, jaw orthopaedics, accelerated tooth movement, bone healing and alveolar ridge development, dental implants, and the use of magnets and magnetic fields in orthodontics. Professor Darendeliler is a recipient of the Australian Society of Orthodontists’ Distinguished Service Award (2008) and P. Raymond Begg Award (2012) for significant contribution to Research (one of only five awarded since the ASO was founded). He is the first Australian to receive the Sheldon Friel Memorial Lecture Award, the highest honour of the European Orthodontic Society, awarded for his significant scientific contribution to orthodontics. He was one of the nine experts worldwide selected to develop international guidelines for postgraduate orthodontic education, and has helped develop guidelines for the use of oral appliance therapy in sleep apnoea.

Professor Darendeliler has worked in Switzerland (University of Geneva) and the USA (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and University of Southern California). He has pioneered many of the advances and led numerous unique studies in orthodontics. He was one of the first to introduce the use of magnetic forces in orthodontics including studies on the biological effects of magnetic fields and the use of static/pulsatic magnetic fields to accelerate bone healing. Professor Darendeliler developed the Magnetic Activator Device used in orthodontic therapy in children (and has since modified the device) and studied the use of magnets as an option for potentially less invasive and less painful management of impacted teeth than prevailing therapies. He is an internationally recognised research leader in root resorption in orthodontics and for his work in obstructive sleep apnoea (in collaboration with Professor Peter Cistulli, Sydney Medical School). Professor Darendeliler boasts a prolific research track record with his department accounting for >50% of the total peer-reviewed articles published by Australian Orthodontic Departments between 2008-2014 (and 2003-2007) [Source: Australian Society for Orthodontists].

Blake is a practising general dentist and clinical academic mainly involved in the clinical teaching of third and fourth year dental students. His teaching focuses on supporting students as novice practitioners appreciate and provide care to patients that is diagnostically driven and appropriate in the context of patient medical and social backgrounds.

Eduardo Delamare is the Academic Lead in Dento-maxillofacial Radiology (DMFR) at the University of Sydney. He is responsible for teaching and coordinating the simulation and clinical training of the Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) and the Bachelor of Oral Health (BOH) programs.
His current research interests focus on AI applications in Clinical Dentistry and Dental Education. He supervises research in these fields, in collaboration with USYD's Industry partners and through the DMD and Master of Digital Health and Data Science programs.

Dr Delamare received his degrees in Dentistry and DMFR at the University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. His PhD, completed at the University of Sydney,  focused on applications of Artificial Intelligence in DMFR.

BDS, MSc, PhD, FICD, SHEA

Dr Divnić-Resnik leads and supervises research across clinical, translational, and education-focused domains. Her clinical trial portfolio includes:

1. a randomised clinical trial investigating the efficacy of adjunctive subgingival air-polishing with erythritol powder during initial non-surgical periodontal therapy of mandibular molar furcation defects; and
2. the development of lipid A–based population screening and chairside diagnostic tools for personalised, point-of-care periodontal therapy, conducted in collaboration with King’s College London, UK.

Her education-focused research includes the development and evaluation of the Unseen Clinical Case (UCC) framework, incorporating triangulated self-, peer-, and examiner feedback; the design and validation of AI-supported feedback summary tools; and investigation of the role of iTOP in interprofessional education, in collaboration with Centro Escolar University, Philippines.

She has supervised more than 20 DMD research projects as lead supervisor, serves as lead supervisor for two DClinDent candidates, and has co-supervised six completed DClinDent projects, reflecting a sustained contribution to research training and capacity building.

BDS, MDS (Gold Medal),FCFO (Craniofacial Orthodontics), MOrthRCS (England), MRACDS (Orth)

Dr Narayan Gandedkar is the Director of DClinDent Orthodontics Program and Discipline Lead of Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) (Orthodontics).

He completed 'Masters' in Orthodontics with 'Gold medal' from 'Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences', India, and pursued a Fellowship in 'Craniofacial Orthodontics' from prestigious 'Chang Gung Memorial University and Hospital, Taiwan'.

Before Joining University of Sydney, he was Assistant Professor at SDM College of Dental Sciences and Hospital, Dharwad India, and also worked at the Cleft and Craniofacial Centre, Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore. Further, he did 'Clinician Attachment Program' from School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore with research area in : a) Characterization of growth factors secreted by MSCs from umbilical cord, placenta and adipose tissue for wound healing applications, and b) Biomimetic Bioadhesives.

Dr Gandedkar also served as 'Honorary Secretary' for the Cleft Lip and Palate Association of Singapore (CLAPAS), 2017-2019. In addition, he was the 'Principal Investigator' of SingHealth Foundation (SHF), Singapore, funded research.

He is a recipient of Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation (NCF) Scholarship, Taipei, Taiwan, and several other awards, such as;

1. GOLD MEDAL for securing First rank in MDS examination of Orthodontics, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India. 2008
2. First Rank in Periodontics - Final year (BDS) ,Indian Society of Periodontology(ISP).2002
3. Best Clinical Pearl Award- Indian Orthodontic Society(IOS) Post- Graduate Convention, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS),New Delhi,India.2008
4. Best Clinical Paper Award (Best Clinical Paper Award & 3M Unitek Travel Fellowship)- Indian Orthodontic Society, Mumbai, India.2009
5. Academic Excellence -2008 - Dr.D Veerendra Heggade (President- S DM Education Trust, Karnataka, India)
6. Best paper, Essay writing "Indian Society of Periodontology"-2007
7. Oral Hygiene Day -1stPrize, SDM College Of Dental Sciences-2006
8. Oral Hygiene Day - 1stPrize, SDM College Of Dental Sciences-2007
9. Best Scientific Paper-Indian Society of Cleft Lip, Palate and Craniofacial Anomalies (Indocleftcon) 2011

He has published over sixty-five international papers/book chapters. He is a 'Reviewer' of over fourteen international journals, including Scientific Reports (Nature), Head and Face Medicine (BMC, Springer Nature), The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal (The American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA)), The Angle Orthodontist ( Official publication of the Edward H. Angle Society of Orthodontists (EHASO)), World Journal of Orthodontics, Orthodontic Waves (Japanese Orthodontic Society), Journal of Applied Biomaterials & Functional Materials (Italian Society for Biomaterials), Scanning: The Journal of Scanning Microscopies (Wichtig publishing), BioMed Research International, Journal of Indian Orthodontic Society, and APOS Trends Ortho.

He has conducted more than twenty-five workshops in Orthognathic Surgery, Craniofacial Orthodontics, and has delivered over thirty-five presentations (Invited Speaker/Oral Presentations) at American Association of Orthodontists meeting (AAO) (USA), The American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association ACPA (USA), India, Australia, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Bangladesh and other countries.

He has co-authored a text book titled "Surgery-First Orthodontic Management: A Clinical Guide to a new treatment approach" published (Springer International, Switzerland) in 2019, and has written several international book chapters, including, Mosby, Elsevier, edited by M. Papadopoulos (Aristotle University, Greece), and so on

His clinical research interests include 3D applications, cleft and craniofacial orthodontics, craniofacial syndromes, nasoalveolar molding therapy for infant orthopaedics, and biomaterials.

Related website links:

1. ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8429-7758
2. Google Scholar https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=-FeCb-YAAAAJ&hl=en
3. Research Gate https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Narayan_Gandedkar

Bachelor of Dental Science, Sun Yat-sen University, China, 2007; Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Sydney, 2011. Upon completing the PhD, he took up a research fellow position at Institute of Dental Research, Westmead Centre for Oral Health. Currently, Dr Gao holds a combined teaching and research position with the Sydney Dental School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney.

Dr Rosemary Golding is a dentist with a background in biological research. She graduated from the DMD program at The University of Sydney in 2016, where her passion for dentistry was acknowledged with the Brigadier A. Gordon Rowell Prize for Preventive Dentistry and the Goldsworthy Sullivan Memorial Prize in Oral Biology.

Prior to undertaking a career in dentistry, Rosmary completed a PhD in Evolutionary Biology at the The University of Sydney's Department of Anatomy and Histology, awarded the University Medal. She gained valuable research experience as a scientist at The Australian Museum in Sydney and The Field Museum in Chicago and led a research program funded by a prestigious grant from the Australian Biological Resources Study.

Rosemary has previously worked in the community as a dentist and has been an academic educator at Sydney Dental School since January 2023, teaching first and second year students in the Oral and Systemic Biosciences unit of study and the BOH program. She is committed to developing and delivering learning experiences that build her student's confidence in their skills and knowledge.

Completed specialist training in Endodontics in 2021 at the University of Adelaide and South Australian Dental Services. The DClinDent program included 9 articles in peer-reviewed journals, 1 article currently in press and one book chapter.

Completed a PhD which included 11 articles in peer-reviewed journals.

Completed the JBI Comprehensive systematic review training program.

Recipient of multiple research and travel grants.

Awarded a Fellow of the Pierre Fauchard Academy – an international dental association that recognizes and supports leaders of the dental profession.

Active researcher actively presenting research findings, locally and internationally, at scientific meetings as well as publishing multiple scientific articles.

Active contributor to dental teaching, research and philanthropy.

Committee member for the International Association of Dental Traumatology