New Griffith Dental School appoints Dean

Griffith University's School of Dentistry and Oral Health has committed to broadening its regional and international focus with the appointment of Professor Newell Johnson as the new Dean and Head of School.

Professor Johnson, who will take up the position at the university's Gold Coast campus in March 2005, is internationally renowned for his clinical research, especially in the areas of head and neck cancers and the oral aspects of HIV/AIDS.

Currently head of the Oral Health Research Group within the Dental Institute at London's prestigious King's College and Director of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Oral Cancer and Precancer, Professor Johnson also has active research projects in both Africa and India.

His move to Griffith University next year will provide the opportunity to develop new relationships, particularly in rural and remote communities of Australia and outwards to regional neighbours including Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands.

Pro-Vice Chancellor (Health Planning) Professor Allan Cripps welcomed the appointment of Professor Johnson as a significant coup for the new school.

"Professor Johnson is highly regarded for his clinical research and his outstanding contribution to dental education," Professor Cripps said.

"In establishing the first new dental school in Australia in close to 60 years, we have the opportunity to develop programs that are extremely innovative. In particular we are focussing on providing our students with unique opportunities to integrate with others across the oral health team in streams including dentistry, oral health therapy and dental technology."

Griffith University's School of Dentistry and Oral Health is working with the Australian Dental Council towards accreditation.

The school will move into the new $36 million Medical School and Oral Health Centre adjacent to the Gold Coast Hospital at Southport in April next year. The facility includes a 54-chair dental clinic.

Professor Johnson is an Australian who graduated from the University of Melbourne and has since spent most of his professional life in the United Kingdom.

He is currently President of the British Society for Dental Research - the UK Division of the International Association for Dental Research and of the Section of Odontology of the Royal Society of Medicine. He was this year awarded the peer-selected John Tome's Medal for outstanding services to the profession and the British Dental Association.

Professor Johnson said he was keen to return to Australia and make a contribution to the profession in both educational and research terms.

"I am delighted and impressed by the development of the school so far and will be building on that," Professor Johnson said. "While there is a very urgent need to train professionals for the local workforce, I also want to make the school very international in its outlook and behaviour.

"Specifically, I want to increase the public health emphasis of the curriculum. I am very keen to see undergraduates recognise that there is a need to be involved in community work right from the very beginning of their career."

Included in his vision for the school is to build research around the known links between oral and systemic disease.

Professor Johnson said many of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease and other chronic illnesses were also important factors in oral health. He was therefore keen to link into the strengths of Griffith University's Heart Foundation Research Centre and further develop existing links with external bodies such as the Queensland Institute of Medical Research.