Chew on this: how early dental health sets you up for life

Name: Chew on this: how early dental health sets you up for life
Start: 2026-05-13T20:00:00+10:00
End: 2026-05-13T21:00:00+10:00
Location: Garden State Hotel

Schedule

Wed May 13 2026 at 08:00 pm to 09:00 pm

UTC+10:00

Location

Garden State Hotel | Melbourne, VI

Discover how healthy oral habits in children set them up for life, and why common conditions like tooth decay are entirely preventable.
About this Event
Talk Description
Many dental problems, like tooth decay are almost entirely preventable. But then why is it still one of the most common conditions affecting Australian kids? Why is it still causing kids to suffer from tooth ache, miss out on school and even end up hospitalised because of severe dental infections? A/Prof Mihiri Silva will draw on her first-hand experience caring for kids and their families and an international repertoire of studies to explain how dental problems are created by a complex mix of genetics and social factors. She will explain how we can use this emerging science to tackle this wicked problem, improve dental health habits, and finally, end tooth decay for good.
Bio
Associate Professor Mihiri Silva
A/Prof Mihiri Silva is a specialist paediatric dentist and academic at the Melbourne Dental School, University of Melbourne. Inspired by the children and families she meets through clinical work, as well as her own experiences as a mum to two kids, her research tackles childhood dental disease, including tooth decay and conditions that weaken teeth. Her internationally recognised work examines how early childhood events affect dental health and how to target these through public health programs. Mihiri is a member of the scientific committee of the International Association of Paediatric Dentistry, Associate Editor of the European Archives of Paediatric Dentistry, President‑elect of the Paediatric Oral Health Research Group of IADR and Vice President of the Australian and New Zealand Division, IADR.