The Oral Anatomy, Medicine and Surgery (OAMS)
The Oral Anatomy, Medicine and Surgery (OAMS) unit of the Melbourne Dental School, University of Melbourne, combines diverse, yet inter-related specialties. These include Oral Anatomy, Oral Medicine and Pathology, Oral and Maxillo-facial Surgery, Oral Histology, Oral Radiology and Forensic Odontology.
The unit undertakes both under-graduate and post-graduate teaching, and has strong research activities in all the above fields both nationally and internationally with funding from NH&MRC, ARC and industry. The research is conducted by a multi-disciplinary team of highly qualified staff and post-graduate students, using state-of-the-art facilities.
Academic Staff:
- Professor John Clement
- Associate Professor Michael McCullough
- Associate Professor Andrew Smith (Head)
- Dr Pam Craig (Senior Lecturer)
- Dr Dragan Grubor (Lecturer)
- Dr Peter Claes
- Dr Mina Borromeo (Lecturer)
Research Activities:
Oral Anatomy and Forensic Odontology
Coordinated by Prof John Clement, the current studies on Computer assisted 3D morphometrics of human cranio-facial anomalies and computer assisted 3D morphometrics for human identification are taking place with state-of-the-art equipment, namely the FIORE scanner.
Other studies include lip prints as a genetically inherited feature.
Professor Clement is also the Inaugural Chair in Forensic Odontology to the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine (VIFM). http://www.vifm.org/.
Studies of biological hard tissue, in particular bone, and the application of computer methods to the modeling of faces. The research work with bone has included the measurement of morphological, mechanical and histomorphometric parameters and the development of image processing methods for the automatic measurement of histological features.
Other forensic studies include human bite-marks and archaeology from a facial and dental perspective.
Oral Medicine
Coordinated by Associate Professor McCullough, research is being undertaken on a range of oral mucosal disorders including oral lichen planus, oral candidosis, recurrent aphthous stomatitis, xerostomia and leukoplakia. Associated laboratory research is being undertaken to investigate parameters of clinical relevance.
Oral and Maxillo-facial Surgery
Coordinated by Associate Professor Andrew Smith who is the Chair of the Board of Studies in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery with the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons; the Head of the trainee program in Oral and Maxillo-facial Surgery and the immediate past President of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Oral and Maxillo-facial Surgeons (ANZAOMS) http://www.anzaoms.org.
Current research is being undertaken in the areas of oral cancer, facial deformity, dental and medical education and information technology.
Oral Radiology
Coordinated by Dr Pamela Craig and involves research using Phase Contrast Radiography as an imaging modality for the demonstration of obscure anatomic regions in human and non-human specimens.
Radiology is also used in research of the chronology of odontogenesis; dental development in the neonate and infant (1, 2) and changes in facial morphology throughout childhood & adolescence as determined using 3-D imaging techniques.