South Western Sydney Local Health District
Western Sydney University and South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD) Oral Health Services have a long history of collaboration spanning more than 12 years. In 2015 WSU partnered with SWSLHD to establish the Centre for Oral Health Outcomes & Research Translation (COHORT) to help drive research, education, consumer engagement and knowledge translation in clinical care through new models of oral health care. The long standing COHORT partnership (2015-2022) led to numerous successful outputs including 73 peer reviewed publications, 100 presentations at national and international conferences, $2.41 million in funding, 22 research awards (5 SWSLHD Quality Awards), 14 PhD and Masters students, numerous oral health promotion and training resources endorsed by NSW Health and new models of care that have been translated into practice. SWSLHD Oral Health Services has continued this partnership with Western Sydney University (School of Nursing & Midwifery) through the Australian Centre for Integration of Oral Health. The ACIOH-SWSLHD representative is Associate Professor Ravi Srinivas
Associate Professor Ravi Srinivas
Dr Ravi Srinivas is currently the Director of Oral Health Services, South Western Sydney Local Health District. He is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the School of Nursing & Midwifery at the Western Sydney University. He also holds a Clinical Associate Professor appointment at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Sydney. Dr Srinivas has extensive background in academic research, teaching, private general practice and public health dental services in both Australia and New Zealand. He is an experienced dentist and health care administrator having held senior management roles in both the public and private health care sectors.
Sydney Local Health District
Western Sydney University has had a long standing collaboration with Sydney Local Health District (SLHD) Oral health Services for the past 12 years and this collaboration has resulted in numerous successful output. This collaboration has been further strengthen through a formal partnership with ACIOH to help improve delivery of integrated oral health services and support research translation in SLHD and Sydney Dental Hospital. The ACIOH-SLHD representative is Associate Professor Shilpi Ajwani
Associate Professor Shilpi Ajwani
Shilpi Ajwani is the Head of Oral Health Promotion and Research at SLHD Oral Health and Sydney Dental Hospital and a senior member of the SLHD Oral Health Executive. She is an Associate Professor at Western Sydney University and Sydney Dental School, University of Sydney. Her area of research interest is in Dental Public Health with a focus on inter-relationship between oral and systemic health as well as integrated care. She has successfully implemented the NIDG program that trained international dentists and provided clinical placements in rural LHDs. She currently leads numerous oral health projects within the District and is a co-investigator in other projects nationally and internationally. She is a supervisor/co-supervisor for HDR students as well as graduate and postgraduate dental trainees. She is also a mentor for young and upcoming professionals as part of the Franklin Women’s Mentoring Program. She has been part of many successful grant applications like the NHMRC and PIFS, has presented at conferences and published in numerous national and international journals.
Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health district
Western Sydney University and Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District (NBMLHD)Oral Health Services have a long history of collaboration having previously partnered through the Centre for Oral Health Outcomes & Research Translation (2017-2022). This research partnership has continued through ACIOH to help improve the delivery of integrated and family centred oral health care to patients accessing care in NBMLHD and to provide streamlined and efficient public oral health services. The ACIOH-NBMLHD representative is Associate Professor Albert Yaacoub.
Associate Professor Albert Yaacoub
A/Prof Albert Yaacoub is the Director of Oral Health Service, Nepean Blue Mountain Local Health District and Clinical Associate Professor in the School of Dentistry at The University of Sydney. He is also the Project Lead, Value Based Oral Health at Centre for Oral Health Strategy, NSW Ministry of Health. Albert is a significant figure within the oral health profession in NSW. He is a formative influencer for oral health professionals and a role model for dental students. He has a passion for supporting his staff to grow and apply their skills outside the dental clinic. He forges partnerships in the community, offering unique programs to provide dental care for refugees, Aboriginal communities, drug and alcohol clients and vulnerable children. His strong relationships with universities has enabled him to grow the Nepean Oral Health Centre’s teaching portfolio to provide 20% of NSW’s undergraduate clinical placements; and become the main training facility for the University of Sydney’s unique Doctor of Clinical Dentistry Oral Surgery Post Graduate Program.
Australian College of Midwives
Since 2017 Western Sydney University has been partnering with the Australian College of Midwives to promote the Midwifery Initiated Oral Health (MIOH) education across Australia. The MIOH education program is a nationally recognised continuing professional development activity to improve the capacity and capability of midwives to promote maternal oral health. The ACIOH-ACM representative is Kellie Wilton.
Kellie Wilton
Kellie Wilton is the Principal Midwifery Officer at the Australian College of Midwives.Kellie is an endorsed and notated Midwife and since registration has had opportunities to advocate, educate, mentor, supervise, and provide leadership for the midwifery profession. Additionally, Kellie teaches and assesses midwives in postgraduate programs leading to endorsement for scheduled medicines. Her postgraduate studies include qualifications in clinical education, international health, and a Master of Primary Maternity Care. Most recently Kellie completed a Master of Public Health (Aboriginal Health & Wellbeing)/Master of Health Leadership and Management with the primary focus of these studies being on advancing the profession of midwifery as an autonomous profession, maternity reform, improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, health leadership and management as well as service design and implementation. Kellie is involved in the National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce, Stillbirth CRE Steering Committee, BOOST Steering Committee, Closing the Gap Steering Committee and other various National and Commonwealth advisory committees.
Dental Health Services Victoria
Since 2012 Western Sydney University (WSU) has been partnering with Dental Health Services Victoria (DHSV) to tailor the Midwifery Initiated Oral Health (MIOH) education program for Victorian midwives and promote it across the state. As of September 2022, 405 midwives across Victoria have completed the training. The partnership has also involved sharing the WSU undergraduate oral health modules for the Bachelor of Midwifery with DHSV so that other Victorian universities could tailor it into their curriculum.