NSW Oral Health Conference

Dentistry has never been more technologically advanced, yet preventable oral diseases remain among the most common health conditions worldwide. Oral health is recognised as essential to general health, yet dental care remains excluded from many health coverage arrangements. Clinicians provide excellent treatment every day, while the systems in which they work continue to reproduce inequalities and unmet need. These contradictions cannot be resolved through clinical approaches alone.

Recent developments in global oral health, including the WHO Global Oral Health Action Plan 2023–2030, offer opportunities to reconsider established approaches to oral healthcare. They also highlight the need to look beyond the dental chair and individual patient encounters. Public health approaches, with their emphasis on prevention, population needs, equity and the wider determinants of health, are essential to achieving improvements at scale.

The presentation explores the persistent paradoxes of modern dentistry and how health-system arrangements influence clinical practice and population oral health. It considers how public health thinking can complement clinical excellence and become a more practical part of everyday oral healthcare.

For public dental services in New South Wales, these reflections connect with the ambitions of the Oral Health Strategic Plan 2022–2032 and invite consideration of how services can contribute not only to treating disease, but also to preventing it across populations.

Patients living with severe obesity can face substantial barriers to accessing safe and equitable dental care. Drawing on contemporary research and clinical experience in Special Needs Dentistry, this presentation will provide a practical approach to assessment, risk management, treatment planning and delivery of dental care for patients living with severe obesity. It will also explore the impact of weight stigma and the importance of person-centred, dignity-preserving care. Practical strategies will be provided to help public oral health clinicians deliver safer, more accessible and inclusive dental care, while recognising when referral to specialised services is required

Managing children and their families following injury to permanent teeth can feel overwhelming. This presentation provides a practical, evidence-based survival guide to the acute management of dental trauma in the permanent dentition, with a strong emphasis on getting the fundamentals right at first presentation for your paediatric patients.

Delegates will be guided through a structured and systematic approach to history-taking, clinical and radiographic assessment, diagnosis, and step-by-step management of traumatic dental injuries. The session will cover the full range of tooth fractures, luxation injuries, tooth avulsion, and associated soft tissue injuries, alongside a discussion of techniques and materials. Particular emphasis will be placed on clinical decision-making in time-critical situations, communication with children and families, and recognising when referral is appropriate.

Real-world clinical cases will be used to illustrate practical tips and common pitfalls. By breaking down a potentially overwhelming clinical scenario into clear and achievable steps, this session aims to equip clinicians with the confidence and tools needed to optimise long-term outcomes for both the tooth and the child.

Relax and unwind after a full day at the conference at our Networking Reception. Connect with peers, colleagues and industry leaders in a relaxed setting while enjoying a selection of canapés and beverages. It’s the perfect opportunity to continue the day’s conversations, make new connections and catch up with familiar faces.

Join us for a scenic coastal walk from Greenmount Beach to Snapper Rocks on the beautiful Coolangatta, Gold Coast (directly over the road from the Twin Towns Conference Venue).

Enjoy views of golden beaches, crystal-clear water and world-class surf breaks. Along the way, you’ll see surfers carving waves, panoramic ocean views and the vibrant atmosphere of this famous stretch of coastline. This gentle walk is the perfect way to experience the beauty of Gold Coast

Meet at 6:45 AM AEDT(NSW time) in front of Greenmount Beach Surf Club and return by 7:45AM AEDT ready for day 2 of the Conference.

**Weather permitting**

Uncle Roger Jarrett, Uncle Lester Maher, Aunty Val Linow, Aunty Elizabeth Johnstone.

Dental implants are increasingly encountered in everyday dental practice, but distinguishing a healthy implant from one requiring intervention is not always straightforward. This practical, case-based presentation will provide dentists and oral health therapists with a structured approach to implant maintenance, including clinical assessment, monitoring of peri-implant health and identification of early disease. Through common clinical scenarios, the session will explore when an implant can be safely maintained, when intervention is required, and when referral for further management should be considered.

An overview of the history and current status of the development of GPV381, a therapeutic treatment designed to treat chronic inflammation caused by the gingipains of Porphyromonas gingivalis

This lecture explores contemporary strategies in vital pulp therapy for permanent teeth. We will be reviewing the biology behind the rationale, appropriate case selection, procedural techniques and material selections to preserve pulp vitality following deep caries