Professor Ajesh George

Co-Founder & Director, ACIOH | Professor of Interprofessional Oral Health, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Western Sydney University | Honorary Professor, School of Dentistry, The University of Sydney

BDS, MPH, PhD

Dr Ajesh George is a Professor of Interprofessional Oral Health, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Western Sydney University and Honorary Professor in the School of Dentistry at the University of Sydney. He is also the Co-Founder and Director of the Australian Centre for Integration of Oral Health, Ingham Institute- a leading national research centre. Prof George is also a visiting Professor at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (Bhubaneshwar) and the Manipal College of Dental Science (Mangalore) which are two of the leading government and private educational institutes in India. Dr George is a renowned expert globally in integrating oral health into primary care and training non-dental professionals to promote oral health. Over the last decade he has been coordinating multidisciplinary teams in implementing effective and sustainable models of care across the lifespan and his work has been recognised by key bodies including the World Health Organisation. Prof George has over $8M in funding including national competitive grants, more than 160 publications, 175 conference presentations, 22 research awards and a H-index of 38 with 4788 citations. He has 13 PhD/Masters completions and currently supervises 11 higher degree students. Prof George was recognised as one of the top 2% scientist worldwide across three years (2021, 2024-2025).

Associate Professor Bradley Christian

DEPUTY DIRECTOR, ACIOH | A/PROF IN POPULATION ORAL HEALTH | ADJUNCT FELLOW, WESTERN SYDNEY UNIVERSITY

BDS, MDSc, Cert. DPH (NIH/NIDCR), PhD

Bradley Christian is an AHPRA registered specialist in Public Health Dentistry and serves as an Associate Professor of Population Oral Health at the University of Sydney School of Dentistry. He leads the Master of Dental Public Health program—the only specialist training course of its kind in Australia. In addition, he leads the Westmead Oral Health Research Hub, a collaboration with the Western Sydney Local Health District focused on integrating a Learning Health System into public dental care. He also holds the position of Deputy Director at the Australian Centre for Integration of Oral Health at Western Sydney University.

Professor Hanny Calache

HEAD, ORAL HEALTH ECONOMICS RESEARCH STREAM, DEAKIN HEALTH ECONOMICS, INSTITUTE OF HEALTH TRANSFORMATION, DEAKIN UNIVERSITY | ADJUNCT PROFESSOR, WESTERN SYDNEY UNIVERSITY

BDSc, MDSc, Grad Dip (Health Admin), DPH (Doctor of Public Health)

Hanny Calache is a registered paediatric dentist, with extensive translational research experience in public dental programs in Victoria and nationally. He was the Director, Clinical Leadership at Dental Health Services Victoria. His research interests include health promotion and public health (with a special interest in oral health of vulnerable community groups throughout the life span, health economics and workforce development). He has attracted over $6 million in research grants and has supervised 7 PhD students. Prof. Calache was awarded “Health Minister’s Award for developing a capable and engaged workforce” for his work in extending the scope of practice of dental therapists.

Associate Professor Rachel Martin

DIRECTOR, NIOH | ADJUNCT ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE | ADJUNCT ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, WESTERN SYDNEY UNIVERSITY

BDSc, MPH, Grad Dip Ed, FICD, FPFA

Rachel Martin is registered dentist & specialist in public health dentistry, and is committed to oral disease prevention and improving oral health, particularly for vulnerable population groups. She established NIOH with co-directors of ACIOH to ensure build collaboration for the evidence base and translation into practice of oral health within general health.

Professor Linda Slack-Smith

PROFESSOR, SCHOOL OF POPULATION AND GLOBAL HEALTH, THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

BSc, GradDip(Med Tech), MSc, PhD, SFHEA

Linda Slack-Smith is a social epidemiologist with extensive experience in qualitative, quantitative and translation approaches (including policy) to public health research. Her work has focused on inequity in public health with a focus on disparities in oral health, child health, ageing, and Aboriginal health; including rural and mental health projects. She holds or has held a number of international, national, university, government board and community leadership roles in various organisations. Internationally she is current President of the Geriatric Oral Health Research Group of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), sat on international Council IADR 2014-2017 and was IADR ANZ Division President 2015-2017. She is an Editor Emerita of the journal Gerodontology which represents 4 major international geriatric dentistry societies. She was Co-Chair of the Melbourne 2020 World Congress of Epidemiology. A recent President of the Australasian Epidemiological Association and was Scientific Committee Chair for the Public Health Congress in Hobart in 2015.

Dr Meng-Wong Taing

LECTURER, SCHOOL OF PHARMACY, THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND

BPharm (Hons), GCTIM, GDip (Biostatistics), PhD

Wong is a Lecturer at the University of Queensland. He has a strong commitment in facilitating extended roles for pharmacists and is particularly interested in developing evidence for pharmacists working in collaborative oral healthcare models. He has attracted several oral health research grants and is recognised nationally for this work.