Combined Medical and Dental Conference
This multidisciplinary conference is a great opportunity for collaboration between the dental and medical professions in understanding the patient’s greater wellbeing.
Topics
- Oral Medicine
- Special needs dentistry
- Respiratory and sleep disorders
- Diabetes
- Clinical Communications
AFRICA 2020 SPEAKERS AND TOPICS
Prof Paul Abbott AO 
Prof. Paul Abbott is the Winthrop Professor of Clinical Dentistry at The University of Western Australia. He is a Specialist Endodontist and works in private practice on a part-time basis. He was Head of the School of Dentistry at The University of Western Australia and Director of the Oral Health Centre of WA from 2003-2009. He has presented and published widely. Prof. Abbott is the Editor-in-Chief of the international journal Dental Traumatology. He has received numerous awards for excellence in teaching and for service to the dental profession, particularly in education and research. In 2015, he was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia.
Topics
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- First Aid for Oral and Dental Problems – I. Trauma
- First Aid for Oral and Dental Problems – II. Infections
- First Aid for Oral and Dental Problems – III. Oral and Dental Pain
- Dealing with Persistent Pain Following Dental Procedures
- Dilemmas in Case Selection – Which Teeth Should be Endodontically Treated?
- Differentiating the Different Types of Tooth Resorption
Dr John Best 
Dr John Best is a Specialist Sports and Exercise Medicine Physician with the Orthosports Group in Sydney. He acts as a Supervisor, an Examiner for the Australasian College of Sports and Exercise Physicians and serves on its Professional Development Committee. In 2018 he was awarded the Clinical Supervisor of the Year. He was heavily involved with the Australian Rugby Union for almost 15 years, including as team doctor. Other clinical interests include shoulder and hip disorders, exercise prescription and health promotion through education and lifestyle change. John is a Conjoint Lecturer at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, where he teaches medical and exercise physiology students. In 2000, John was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for Sports Medicine by the Prime Minister and Governor General of Australia. John is the co-founder of ICFAR (an ‘Injury Clinic for Asylum Seekers and Refugees’) in Western Sydney and volunteers on a fortnightly basis.
Topics
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- An update on concussion, mouthguards use and state of the art management
- The role of poor lifestyle on ill-health including dental disease.
- Regenerative therapies – PRP, stem cells and what’s next
- Maintaining health and well-being as a health care professional – practising what we preach.
Dr Megan Best 
Dr Megan Best is a palliative care physician. She has worked as a consultant for the NSW state and federal health departments, developing palliative care policy. She maintains a life-long interest in developing evidence-based and ethical healthcare policy, contributing to many areas of legislation. She has post-graduate qualifications in applied ethics in healthcare and teaches bioethics at tertiary level at several Sydney institutions. She is the author of two books exploring ethical issues at the beginning of life, as well as many journal articles. She is affiliated with the Centre for Values and Ethics in Medicine at the University of Sydney. In 2016, she was awarded her PhD at The University of Sydney for her thesis on the role of the doctor in the spiritual care of cancer patients and is involved with developing curricula training of healthcare providers at both national and international levels in this field.
Topics
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- Issues around end of life care and the debate on Physician Assisted Suicide
- The role and direction of informed consent and data sharing in healthcare.
Prof Mike O’Connor AM
Prof Mike O’Connor is an O&G in private and public hospital practice in Sydney. He is a past Vice President of RANZCOG. The highlights of his career have been a long involvement in Indigenous Health for which he received a Membership in the Order of Australia. He also served in the Royal Australian Navy for 33 years and holds the rank of Captain. He has served in Bougainville, East Timor as well as on several HMA Ships and in the US Navy. He has a Master of Health Law and is a Fellow of the College of Legal Medicine.
Topics
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- Medicolegal case studies in mesh erosion
- Dyspareunia
Dr Bernie Hudson
Dr Hudson is a Clinical Microbiologist and Infectious Diseases Physician. He holds specialist qualifications in pathology (microbiology), internal medicine (infectious diseases) and public health. He also holds positions of Clinical Senior Lecturer in Infectious Diseases at Sydney University and Associate Professor at James Cook University Townsville.
- The human microbiome – mouth to anus and is beauty skin deep?
- Next generation microbiology – the future is here
- Travellers diarrhoea – prevention and treatment (I like your description)
- Malaria 2020 – a vision for the future
Unconventional Conventions is an Accredited Education Provider. Each of our continuing professional development programs is individually designed to address topics of current interest and is relevant to our professionals and their practices. The Academic Advisory Committee, comprising of medical professionals from across Australia will work with recognised and respected specialists to prepare a selection of presentations, workshops, case studies and panels discussions which will be specially prepared for our conferences.
Unconventional Convention’ director for the past 25 years is a practising doctor who takes pride in offering a comprehensive, stimulating and relevant academic program. We aim to ensure that the combination of lectures, workshops, and training activities make up more than 50% of daily activities during the main conference tour.
Many of our travel destinations provide an opportunity for local professional contribution and cultural exchange through workshops and structured visits to local clinics.
Our conference programs are prepared over a 12-month period and full details are available 3 months prior to the conference. Unconventional Conventions is an accredited education provider for RACGP. Application for ACRRM points is made for each conference. Dental programs are certifiable with the Dental Board of Australia. Specialists may apply for CPD points at their own discretion.
Unconventional Volunteering: Introduces Australian doctors to the world of medical volunteering in developing countries.
Academic Advisory Committee members
Dr Margot Cunich – Co-ordinator
Margot has recently retired from regular general practice after a career spanning 38 years across urban and semi-rural practices. She is passionate about continuing education and the sharing of knowledge amongst colleagues. She has been the director and academic co-ordinator of Unconventional Conventions since 1993 and designs and administers the academic content of all the medical conferences.
Professor Claire Jackson 
Claire is Professor in General Practice and Primary Care Research and Director of centre for Health System Reform and Integration at University of Queensland. She is a past President of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (2010-12) and is an active clinician and GP trainer in Brisbane.
Dr James Cafaro 
James is a GP in Adelaide and Deputy Director of Clinical Training at Flinders Medical Centre. James has a strong interest in research and education, facilitating SIM training and primary care education to doctors in the hospital. James also educates students in his clinic and enjoys speaking at educational meetings on his area of special interest, heart failure.
Dr Alan Giles 
Alan is a Senior Staff Specialist, Emergency Department, Sydney Adventist Hospital, Wahroonga, NSW. He is the Area Medical Educator in Emergency Medicine and Hospital Skills Program Director for South Western Sydney and Sydney Local Health District.
Dr Jayne Ingham 
She is a director of GPpartners , a GP organisation providing peer support and education for GPs in Brisbane North. She brings 30 years of clinical experience to selecting topics that are current and relevant to GPs. She teaches medical students and GP registrars in her Brisbane practice. She believes education is a two-way street, also learning from the GPs and students.