The desire to be part of the solution to one of the critical health care problems facing inland Australia has led a leading dental specialist from the Sydney Dental Hospital to Charles Sturt University (CSU) in regional NSW.
Dr Barbara Taylor has taken up her new position at CSU as Associate Professor in Dentistry and Health Sciences. Her recruitment is one of the most senior dentistry appointments to the University since the federal Government allocated over $65 million to CSU in 2007 to establish a new dentistry and an oral health therapy program.Based in Wagga Wagga, Dr Taylor is charged with the task of developing and coordinating the University’s oral health therapy program in the School of Dentistry and Health Sciences.
“We have a rare opportunity here to build a dental clinical school and program that will make a significant long term difference, on several levels, to the health and welfare of the people of inland Australia,” said Dr Taylor.
Also motivating Dr Taylor to look for life beyond the Sydney Dental Hospital was the desire for a ‘tree change’ which coincided with new challenge in her professional life.
“It’s a big change to move to Wagga Wagga from living in Sydney and working at a bustling clinical facility in the inner city,” said the CSU academic.
“I wanted to live in the country, away from the crowds, traffic and incessant noise of the city, and enjoy a better quality of life. I can hardly believe my good fortune to have been appointed at CSU to work on a project with so much potential in such a beautiful part of the world.”
A periodontist, teacher and clinical scientist, Dr Taylor was the Head of the Department of Periodontics at the Sydney Dental Hospital from 1996 until her departure for CSU this year.
In her academic career, Dr Taylor has been Clinical Coordinator for specialist training in Periodontics at the University of Sydney and an Associate Professor at the University of Newcastle.
Leading a research group known as PERICAR, Dr Taylor is investigating the association between periodontal disease and cardiovascular risk.
She is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons and the International College of Dentists. In 2005, Dr Taylor received the Australian Dental Association Service Medallion and won the International Association of Dental Research (ANZ Division) Colgate Award in 2000.
Dr Taylor joins Professor Ward Massey, who in January this year was appointed the Head of the School of Dentistry and Health Sciences.
A team effort
“Through the new dental and oral health therapy program, CSU will continue to provide innovative and progressive educational and support services for inland Australia,” said Professor Massey.
“We are delighted Barbara has joined CSU to be a key driver of this program.”
“I would like to see the CSU School of Dentistry and Health Sciences make a difference and benefit the people of inland Australia and further afield, by becoming a recognized centre for education, clinical service and research,” said Dr Taylor.
“In years to come I would like our graduates to be ethical, clinically competent and caring people who venture into the profession secure in the knowledge that they are well-educated and well-prepared for successful careers in health.”
With construction of facilities underway, the new dental and oral health therapy program will be offered from 2009 from the multi-campus School of Dentistry and Health Sciences at Orange and Wagga Wagga. There will also be dental clinics on five campuses across NSW.The program is due to be fully established in 2013. Graduates of the five year Bachelor of Dental Science and the three year Bachelor of Oral Health (Therapy/Hygiene) will provide a much needed supply of dentists, dental therapists and oral hygienists into inland Australia.
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