Samantha Byrne

Samantha Byrne is an Associate Professor in Oral Biology and serves as Director of Students and Education at the Melbourne Dental School within the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences at the University of Melbourne. Holding a PhD from the University of Melbourne completed in 2006, her doctoral research investigated the microbial composition of dental plaque associated with periodontal disease progression, which earned her the Oral Biology Award from the Australian and New Zealand division of the International Association of Dental Research in 2010. She also earned a Bachelor of Dental Science (BDSc) and a Graduate Certificate from the University of Melbourne, as well as a Bachelor's degree from The University of Queensland. Currently, Byrne is pursuing a Doctor of Education at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, examining the impact of pre-class learning in the flipped classroom model. With a background as a former dentist, she has demonstrated excellence in teaching Oral Microbiology to Doctor of Dental Surgery and Bachelor of Oral Health students, receiving multiple accolades including the WM and AV Eggleston Trust Excellence in Teaching Awards in 2013 and 2014, and the IJ Marks and TC Adamson Prize for significant contribution to dental education in 2011.

Byrne's research specializations include the microbial aetiology of chronic periodontitis and dental caries, the role of social media in disseminating oral health information, and innovative dental education practices such as active learning, digital health technologies, virtual reality haptics, and curriculum reform. She supervises postgraduate students in Doctor of Clinical Dentistry and Bachelor of Science Honours programs. Notable publications encompass "Policy and preference: the intersection of attendance hurdles and student perceptions of practical classes" (2025, BMC Medical Education), "Benefits and challenges of the integration of haptics-enhanced virtual reality training within dental curricula" (2025, Journal of Dental Education), "Digital Dentists: A Curriculum for the 21st Century" (2025, JMIR Medical Education), "Creativity as a framework for innovation in dental education" (2023, Frontiers in Oral Health), and "Current arrangements for training dentists in Australia on primary care dentistry" (2024, Journal of Dentistry). In 2023, she was awarded the Melbourne Dental School Strategic Grants for Outstanding Women to advance her career through international collaborations. Byrne has presented at prestigious events like the 2024 Asia Pacific Dental Education meeting and contributes to global initiatives such as the VR-haptic thinkers group, influencing advancements in dental training technologies.

Professional Email: sbyrne@unimelb.edu.au