Matt Hopcraft

Associate Professor Matt Hopcraft is a dental public health expert serving as Associate Professor in Professional Practice at the Melbourne Dental School within the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences at the University of Melbourne. He earned his Bachelor of Dental Science (BDSc) from the University of Melbourne in 1994, Master of Dental Science (MDSc) in Community Dentistry by Research from the same institution in 2000 examining the impact of water fluoridation on tooth decay in young Australian adults, Bachelor of Arts (BA) from Deakin University in 2005, and PhD from the University of Melbourne in 2010 focused on the oral health of older Australians in nursing homes and innovative models of care.

Hopcraft's career includes service as a dentist in the Australian Army for over seven years following graduation, during which he completed his MDSc. His academic career commenced in 2002 as Lecturer in Community and Preventive Dentistry at the University of Melbourne, progressing to Director of Clinical Education at the Melbourne Dental School, where he contributed to the training of approximately 1000 dentists. He has held key professional roles such as Director of Assessments and Examinations at the Australian Dental Council, Oral Health Advisor at Dental Health Services Victoria, and Professional & Scientific Relations Consultant for Oral-B. In leadership with the Australian Dental Association Victorian Branch, he served as President in 2010-2011 and Chief Executive Officer from 2017 to 2023, also representing on the Federal Council from 2012 to 2014. Hopcraft co-founded SugarFree Smiles in 2015 to promote oral health policies and the Mindful Smiles Hub in 2023 to address mental health issues among dental practitioners. His research specializations include dental public health, oral health policies, mental health and burnout in dental practitioners, and care models for vulnerable populations. Notable publications encompass 'Mental health, psychological distress and burnout in Australian dental practitioners' (2023, Australian Dental Journal), 'Australian dental practitioner attitudes to expanding Medicare to include more dental services' (2025, Australian Dental Journal), and studies on complaints against dental practitioners and the role of oral health therapists. He has presented research at international conferences in Lithuania, the Netherlands, Canada, Spain, and France, and provided clinical services in remote Aboriginal communities on Cape York Peninsula and in Tonga.

Professional Email: m.hopcraft@unimelb.edu.au