Mental Health and Oral Health Symposium
Location
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
About
Mental Health and Oral Health Symposium
2.20pm - 5.00pm, 31 October 2025 | Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC)
Supported by Oral Health Victoria, this symposium explores the intersection of mental health and oral health, including the unique challenges faced by adolescents and young Australians.
Bringing together consumer advocates and academics in mental health and oral health field, the symposium showcases how mental health practitioners can play a pivotal role in recovery by promoting oral health with an interdisciplinary evidence-based approach.
Participants are invited to bring their ideas how this important health agenda could be advanced through a facilitated workshop, to generate ideas and collaborate on forthcoming opportunities with research grant funding, which is inclusive of consumer advocates and those with lived experiences.
Your ticket includes access to the morning session of the Public Oral Health Conference 2025
This symposium is being held in conjunction with the Public Oral Health Conference 2025 (POHC25). Tickets for the symposium also grants attendees access to the entire morning session of the conference including participation in a selected breakout session.
CPD points: You will gain 6 Continuing Professional Development points by attending this year's conference/symposium.
Agenda and breakout session details below
Register by COB 20th October.
Cost
Early Bird until 8 August: $90: Single ticket
Early Bird until 8 August: $360: Group booking discount (5 tickets for the price of 4)
$120: Single ticket
$480: Group booking discount (5 tickets for the price of 4)
Venue
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC)
1 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf 3006
Agenda - Mental Health and Oral Health Symposium (in conjunction with the POHC25)
Morning session: Public Oral Health Conference 2025 (POHC25)
8.30am: Registration opens
9.30am: Opening formalities
- MC Welcome
- Welcome to country
- Minister and CEO welcome
- MC Welcome
- Welcome to country
- Minister and CEO welcome
10.00am: Keynote speaker: Daniel Nour – founder of Street Side Medics
Theme: Connecting communities with care
Theme: Connecting communities with care
10.40am: Presenter: Dr Sharon Hakkennes - Chief Digital Health Officer, Victorian Department of Health
Theme: Healthcare's digital future: promise and potential
Theme: Healthcare's digital future: promise and potential
11.10am: Morning tea
11.55am Breakout sessions:
Breakout 1: Research and emerging trends
Chair: Clare Lin, Director of Policy, Oral Health Victoria
Chair: Clare Lin, Director of Policy, Oral Health Victoria
Breakout 2: Advances in clinical practice
Chair: Werner Bischof, Chief Oral Health Officer, Oral Health Victoria
Chair: Werner Bischof, Chief Oral Health Officer, Oral Health Victoria
Breakout 3: Population health – local action, meaningful change
Chair: Amy Patterson, Director of Population Health, Oral Health Victoria
Chair: Amy Patterson, Director of Population Health, Oral Health Victoria
Breakout 4: Value-Based Healthcare – right care, real impact
Co-Chair: Sonia Coleman, Director of Value Based Healthcare, Oral Health Victoria
Co-Chair: Sonia Coleman, Director of Value Based Healthcare, Oral Health Victoria
1.10pm: Lunch
Afternoon session: Mental Health and Oral Health Symposium
2.20pm (30 mins + 10 mins Q&A) Mental Health and Oral Health Symposium
Moderator: Prof Alison Yung, Deakin University
Moderator: Prof Alison Yung, Deakin University
‘Intersection between mental health and oral health in Australia’
Professor Steve Kisely
University of Queensland
‘Poor oral health in Australians living with mental ill-health: failures in policy, priorities and provisioning’.
Professor Amanda Wheeler
Griffith University
‘Oral health scope of practice for non-dental professionals to improve youth with mental illness in rural Victoria’
Professor Santosh Tadakamadla
La Trobe University
‘Health economics and value-based health care: opportunities for mental health and oral health’.
Tan Nguyen
Oral Health Victoria / Deakin University
Professor Steve Kisely
University of Queensland
‘Poor oral health in Australians living with mental ill-health: failures in policy, priorities and provisioning’.
Professor Amanda Wheeler
Griffith University
‘Oral health scope of practice for non-dental professionals to improve youth with mental illness in rural Victoria’
Professor Santosh Tadakamadla
La Trobe University
‘Health economics and value-based health care: opportunities for mental health and oral health’.
Tan Nguyen
Oral Health Victoria / Deakin University
3.00pm: Break
3.15pm: (60 mins + Q&A 15 mins) Research Collaboration Workshop
Chair: A/Prof Werner Bischof, Oral Health Victoria
The workshop will explore a current proposed model of mental health services that includes oral health, and with consumer input co-design. Participants will have the opportunity to ‘stress test’ the proposed model, and shape future opportunities for research grant funding, particularly with consumers as investigators.
Chair: A/Prof Werner Bischof, Oral Health Victoria
The workshop will explore a current proposed model of mental health services that includes oral health, and with consumer input co-design. Participants will have the opportunity to ‘stress test’ the proposed model, and shape future opportunities for research grant funding, particularly with consumers as investigators.
4.30pm: Symposium close
4.30pm – 5.00pm: Networking
Coffee & tea available
Contact details
If you have any queries, please contact Tan Nguyen, Acting Director Policy, Oral Health Victoria at: tan.nguyen@dhsv.org.au