Perth dentist Dr. Simon Shanahan recalls that when he was a dental student at the University of Western Australia, everyone would feel nervous whenever they heard the name “Dental Board of Australia”.
“We generally felt in dental school that the board was like a scary monster that could appear at any time to review our every move,” he said. “Many practitioners still have this fear, but this is a misunderstanding that needs to be corrected.”
Dr. Shanahan was appointed president of the Dental Board of Australia (DBA) in December last year. He hopes to make more dental practitioners understand the true role of the board – not an organization dedicated to “punishment”, but an organization that plays an important role in supporting industry norms and improving practice standards.
“I didn’t join the board with a ‘three-year plan’,” he said. “The previous president Murray Thomas laid a solid foundation. Today’s board has the ability to accept new changes while still firmly adhering to the core purpose when it was established.”
Focus on the needs of practitioners, not just regulation
As a dental expert with decades of experience, Dr. Shanahan emphasized that he focuses on the real needs of all professionals in the entire dental industry. “We are not an organization that coldly implements policies. I hope that people will not regard us as an enemy, but an organization that is willing to communicate, understand and support them.”
The Dental Council’s responsibility is to establish practice standards and safeguard public health and industry ethics through a sound regulatory framework. Its mission is to ensure that every Australian has access to high-quality and safe dental services.
Since joining the committee in 2012, Dr. Shanahan has held several key positions, including Chairman of the Western Australian Registration and Notification Committee and Chairman of the National Notification Committee. He has also served in the Australian Dental Association (ADA) for more than 30 years.
“We are always on the side of justice,” he said, “We are for dentists, consumers, and the industry to create a fair and transparent environment.”
Reflect the status of the industry with data
According to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) data for 2022/24, 723 complaints involved 597 dental practitioners, accounting for 3.8% of the total number of people in the industry. Among them, more than half of the cases did not take further action, and only a few cases took restrictive measures.
Dr. Shanahan believes that this shows that the industry is functioning well as a whole. “Most dentists are doing the right thing and doing it very well. We continue to evaluate the performance of practitioners, and these figures make me proud of the profession.”
However, he also reminded that modern dentists face not only clinical challenges, but also the pressure of running a clinic. “They are not only doctors, but also business operators. We must provide appropriate support to help them cope with these additional burdens.”
He hopes that more practitioners will know that the committee is a resource that can assist them, not a threat.
From clinic to committee: continuing the spirit of service
Before becoming chairman, Dr. Shanahan had run Southbridge Dental Clinic in Perth for 28 years. Three years ago, he handed over the management of the clinic to partner Dr. Louise Winters, but he continued to practice in the team, and his wife Dr. Millicent Woon is also a member of the team.
“Now this job requires me to travel frequently to the eastern states, but I enjoy this process very much,” he said. “Louise is very supportive of me.”
His spirit of service also extends to a wider field. In 1998, he co-founded “Equal Health” with a friend to provide dental services to disadvantaged groups in India, Thailand, Indonesia and East Timor. He is also actively involved in dental projects for local Aboriginal communities and low-income groups in Australia.
These public welfare efforts have won him many honors, including the Outstanding Service Award from the ADA Western Australia Chapter, and the title of Honorary Fellow of several organizations such as the International Dental Academy.
Although he is busy as president, he still hopes to find time to continue volunteering. “I always believe that if you have the ability, you should take responsibility and try your best to give back to the society.”
He added: “Giving back to the society does not have to be grand. Sometimes it is just mentoring young colleagues, helping newly graduated dentists, participating in the activities of the local ADA chapter… These seemingly small actions can also have a huge impact.”