Rate My Professor Janet Wallace

Professor Janet Wallace serves as Honorary Professor in the School of Health Sciences (Oral Health) at the University of Newcastle, Australia. A registered Oral Health Therapist, she holds a PhD in Oral Health from the University of Newcastle, a Bachelor of Oral Health and Graduate Certificate in Practice of Tertiary Teaching from the same institution, a Diploma of Dental Therapy from the College of Dental Therapy (Westmead Hospital), a Diploma in Frontline Management from NSW Health, and a Certificate IV in Workplace Assessment and Training. Her career includes extensive clinical roles in NSW Health public dental services from 1989 to 2008, such as Manager Child Dental Services (1989-2002), Community Dental Health Programs Officer (1996-1998), Health Promotions Manager (2002-2004), Senior Dental Therapist (2002-2004), Oral Health Promotion Coordinator (2004-2008), and Acting Director of Community Dental Services (2000). Joining the University of Newcastle in 2008 as Conjoint Lecturer in Oral Health, she advanced to Lecturer (2009), Program Convenor for Graduate Diploma in Dental Therapy (2014), Program Convenor for Bachelor of Oral Health Therapy (2015), Senior Lecturer (2016-2018), Associate Professor (2018-present), and Acting Head of Discipline for Oral Health (2018).

Wallace specializes in oral health for older adults in residential aged care, service-learning evaluations, student placements, preventive oral health care, nutrition and oral health, paediatric Aboriginal oral health, and links between oral health and chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. In 2014, she developed the Senior Smiles preventive program, piloted with a $100,000 NSW Medicare Local grant and expanded via a $540,000 Elderslee Foundation grant, delivering over 1,600 assessments and 1,300 care plans to more than 600 residents across five facilities (2017-2019). An economic analysis showed $2.40 in health system benefits and $3.18 in social benefits per dollar invested. The program contributed to recommendations in Australia’s Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety and has been adopted by universities and services nationwide. Key publications include Ingram et al., 'A Scoping Review of Australian Policy Relating Oral Health to Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes and Cognitive Impairment' (2021); Wallace et al., 'Senior Smiles: a preventive model of oral health care for older people living in residential aged care facilities' (2020); and Kaur et al., 'Bitter taste and oral health outcomes in older Australian adults' (2019). She holds Honorary Fellowships from the Academy of Dental Administration (Hon FADI) and International College of Dentists (Hon FICD), supervises postgraduate students, and collaborates internationally.