Dr Menaka Abuzar
CONTACT
E-mail: maabuzar@unimelb.edu.au
Telephone: +61 3 9341 1495
QUALIFICATIONS
- BDS (Sri Lanka)
- BDS (Adelaide)
- Grad Cert University Teaching (Melbourne)
- Dip Clin Dent (Melbourne)
- MDSc (Prosthodontics, Melbourne)
- PhD (Bristol)
- MRACDS
CURRENT POSITIONS
- Senior Lecturer (Restorative and Population Oral Health), Melbourne Dental School, University of Melbourne.
- Senior Fellow, School of Rural Health, University of Melbourne (Shepparton Campus).
- Specialist Prosthodontist, Royal Dental Hospital, Melbourne.
SHORT HISTORY
- 2004 – Present: Senior Lecturer (Restorative and Population Oral Health), University of Melbourne.
- 2002-present: Specialist Prosthodontist, Royal Dental Hospital, Melbourne.
- 1999-2001: Postgraduate student in Prosthodontics, School of Dental Science, University of Melbourne.
- 1990-1995: Assistant Professor, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- 1985-1990: Lecturer, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
- 1982-1985: PhD student and honorary clinician, University of Bristol, England.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
- Educational research
- Population oral health
- Implant supported over-dentures and magnetic attachments
CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS
- The use of Magfit IP-B magnetic over-denture attachments with two non-parallel implants: Determining the allowable/permissible angulations for insertion and removal of the mandibular denture.
- The Shortened Dental Arch Concept: Perceptions, attitudes and application by dentists in Victoria, Australia.
- Rural outplacement program for dental undergraduates: Students’ perceptions
- Risk indicators and awareness of tooth wear among patients attending Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne.
- Review of formative clinical assessments of final year undergraduates at the Melbourne Dental School.
- Oral Health Awareness of Sri Lankan Older Adults Living in Melbourne, Australia
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
- Abuzar MA, Burrow MF, Morgan M. Development of a rural outplacement programme for dental undergraduates: students’ perceptions. Eur J Dent Educ 2009; 13: 233–239.
MEMBERSHIPS
- The Australian Dental Association (ADA).
- The Sri Lanka Dental Association.
- Member of the Academy of Australian New Zealand Prosthodontists.
- Member of the International Association of Dental Research.
TEACHING INTERESTS
- Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics including Implantology (Convenor, 3rd and 4th year BDSc removable Prosthodontic courses).
- Participation in the postgraduate (DCD Prosthodontics) specialists training course (clinical and research supervision).
- Population Oral Health including Rural Dental Health (Convenor, Dental practice 5 and Deputy Year Coordinator BDSc 5; Coordinator, Rural Dental Module, Shepparton and Moe/Morwell).