Rate My Professor Deborah Cockrell

Conjoint Associate Professor Deborah Cockrell serves as an Adjunct Professor in the School of Health Sciences (Oral Health), College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, at the University of Newcastle. She earned her PhD from the University of Sydney, Bachelor of Dental Surgery from the University of Birmingham in the UK, Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies from the University of Sydney, and Master of Business Administration from the University of Newcastle. As a UK-trained Specialist Oral Surgeon, her research focuses on dental education, reflective practice, rural oral health, rural placements, and self-assessment. Her PhD examined the long-term and short-term impacts of a rural placement program on career choices for dental graduates. Earlier work addressed rural and remote oral health and dental workforce issues, including NH&MRC-funded research on self-perceived oral health needs in rural and remote New South Wales communities.

Cockrell's career includes serving as Associate Dean for Curriculum Development at the University of Sydney from 1996 to 2003, during which she undertook a six-month secondment to research and develop self-assessment strategies for learning in Oral Surgery. She was the Inaugural Head of the Discipline of Oral Health at the University of Newcastle and recently acted as Head. Her contributions earned her a Fellowship in Teaching and Learning from the University of Sydney. Key publications encompass systematic reviews such as 'A systematic review of musculoskeletal disorders among dental professionals' (2009, International Journal of Dental Hygiene) and 'An international review of musculoskeletal disorders in the dental hygiene profession' (2010, International Dental Journal). Recent works include 'Weight stigma among dental professionals and in the dental setting: a scoping review' (2023, British Dental Journal), 'Dental team barriers and enablers for the dental management of adults with severe obesity: a qualitative analysis' (2024, BDJ Open), 'Provision of domiciliary dental service to residential aged care facilities: A 3-year descriptive summary' (2024, Special Care in Dentistry), and 'Increasing dental professional awareness of disordered eating behaviours and oral health impacts in people living with severe obesity' (2026, Nutrition and Health). These publications address critical issues in dental workforce health, stigma reduction, and specialized care, influencing oral health education and practice.