Australian of the Year

Limestone coast Tour of Honour

It was so wonderful to be part of the Tour of Honour on the Limestone coast last week, speaking to students, teachers, community members and leaders. I spoke on inclusion, oral healthcare, and shared the stories of the incredible people I have cared for as their Special Needs Dentistry Specialist. I continue to be astounded by the profound impact that words can have people’s lives. People came up to me saying, they were moved to tears by my stories, they are inspired to tell others, they now understand and see things differently, there were even high school students who said they want to be a dentist! I’m here to make the biggest impact I can, and so since speaking up is making a difference, that is what I will continue to do. I encourage you all to do the same – don’t underestimate the impact your words can have too.