All change at the top

NEW APPOINTMENTS All change at the top

The time has come for a change of Association leadership as we head into an exciting new year. Meet some familiar new faces

National President

Associate Professor Carol Tran has been elected as the National President of our Association at a recent DHAA Board meeting on 20 November 2021. Carol has taken over from Cheryl Dey who has served her full three terms at the helm.

Carol is the Head of Course for Oral Health at Central Queensland University. She is an oral health therapist with more than nine years of clinical experience that ranges from private practice, across Victoria and Queensland, to university teaching and managing a variety of research projects. She has extensive experience in teaching within the professional environment, including; lecturing in caries management, periodontology, and general dentistry.

During her time as a lecturer at the University of Queensland, she was involved in the curriculum review as the chair of the year 1 committee. She also was heavily involved in project management, policy development, and strategic integration across the BDSc and BOralH programs. Her research focus is oriented around projects with a direct clinical relevance. This research encompasses periodontology, implant dentistry, microbiology and cardiology. She submitted her PhD thesis in 2017.

Carol has served on DHAA boards and committees since 2010. First as a newsletter editor for the DHAA Vic, then as a CPD member for DHAAQ and as a research reviewer, a board director and National Vice President.

National Vice President

Dr Ron Knevel has been elected Vice President at the same meeting.

Ron is currently the Oral Health Discipline Lead at the La Trobe University. He worked at Academic Centre of Dentistry in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, School for Oral Health Care professionals, as lecturer and pre-clinical and clinical coordinator, international coordinator and as a curriculum coordinator. Next to his work as a lecturer and clinical demonstrator he has worked in general practice and at the department of periodontology of ACTA. He has been an invited speaker on several national and international conferences in the US, Europe, Asia and Australia (including Europerio and the International Symposium on Dental Hygiene). Since 2009 he has worked as a Senior Lecturer at La Trobe University, and is the 3rd year coordinator of the Bachelor of Oral Health Sciences.

He is the founder and chair of the Buddhi Bangara Foundation to promote and develop sustainable oral health promotion activities in Nepal, and is a cofounder of the Dental Hygienists Association Nepal. He established an Oral Health Promotion Training Centre in Dhangadi West-Nepal in October 2010.

New regional board directors

Phoebe Thomas and Hellen Checker have commenced as board directors for Westrn Australia and Northern Territory respectively.

Phoebe Thomas is an advocate for the DHAA and a self-confessed lover of wine! She graduated from Curtin University

in 2010 with an Associate Degree of Dental Hygiene and has been a member of the DHAA ever since.

She has worked in the field of orthodontics since her graduation, with a small stint in a general practice and as a Clinical Tutor at Curtin University.

Phoebe is actually a qualified winemaker having completed her Bachelor Degree of Viticulture and Winemaking back in 2005.

Hellen Checker began her professional dental career in 1987 as a dental assistant, before commencing her education in dental hygiene in 1994.

Hellen has worked in both the public and private sectors, volunteering internationally with regular work trips to Vietnam. More recently she has worked in research and is currently providing clinical care in rural and remote central Australia. She has worked in the UK and the Middle East as a dental assistant and in a range of settings as a dental hygienist including aged care, education and research.

Hellen was a former DHAA National President and has served on a number of industry and advocacy boards. She holds a post graduate qualification as a Bachelor of Health Human Services (Hons) Leadership. n

Current DHAA Board members

President Assoc Prof Carol Tran (Queensland) Vice President Dr Ron Knevel (Victoria) Treasurer Michelle Kuss (South Australia) Regional Directors Cheryl Dey (South Australia) Warrick Edwards (New South Wales) Hellen Checker (Northern Territory) Alyson McKinlay (Tasmania) Phoebe Thomas (Western Australia) Amy McDermott (Australian Capital Territory)

COVID Crusader

Genevieve Bailey shares her personal COVID crusade

WHEN the Victorian Government called for allied health professionals to join the emergency vaccination workforce, I thought it was a perfect opportunity to learn some new skills, put some old skills to good use and help Australia out of this Covid-19 crisis. Living in Melbourne I obviously had my own vested interest to get the vaccination rate up and get out of lockdown!

So, I promptly completed the compulsory Federal and Victorian Government Covid-19 training modules online and jumped through all the other “paperwork hoops” and checks with Torrens Health – YNA, to then get my first vaccinating shift at the world heritage-listed Royal Melbourne Exhibition Building.

This vaccination hub is managed by the dedicated team from St Vincent’s Hospital. The practical training on my first day was comprehensive, the infection control is impeccable and the entire operation is so well coordinated. I’m feeling exceptionally lucky to have this opportunity to work alongside the amazing doctors and nurses who have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic. They truly appreciate the help from allied health professionals and I instantly felt like I was part of their team.

If anyone is remotely interested in helping out, I’d encourage you to get involved. It’s a wonderful feeling to unite with other health professionals. Who would have thought dental hygienists would be doing this in 2021!