One of ten everyday Australians invited to represent Australia at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral due to her extraordinary contributions to the community, Dr Trudy Lin is one of only three Special Needs Dentistry specialists in South Australia, specialising in oral healthcare to people with disability, psychiatric conditions, dental phobias, and complex medical conditions, such as cancer. She also treats people experiencing homelessness, trauma, and domestic violence.
Trudy provides oral healthcare at her Special Needs Dental clinic at 133 Marion Road Richmond and mobile dental services in the comfort of people’s homes and living facilities. She also facilitates dental treatment under happy gas and in a hospital setting under general anaesthesia.
Trudy is involved in the education of oral healthcare professionals in Special Needs Dentistry through tutoring at the University of Adelaide, mentoring and coaching dentists, and is on the Board of Studies for Special Needs Dentistry through the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons.
Dr Lin is involved in various national and international advocacy roles including the Australasian representative for the International Advisory Committee for the International Association for Disability and Oral Health (IADH) and the National Advisory Committee for The National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health. She has served on the Executive Committee of the Australian New Zealand Academy of Specialists in Special Needs Dentistry (ANZASND) and South Australian Older Person’s Working Group.
Her research thesis aimed to improve access to oral healthcare for people with disability has gained international acclaim, and her advocacy in the oral healthcare sector has been recognised with multiple accolades including the 2022 Young Australian of the Year for South Australia, 2021 Young Achiever of the Year for South Australia, a Fellowship to the Pierre Fauchard Academy in 2017 and a Fellowship to the International College of Dentists in 2022.
Trudy attained an Advanced Diploma in Nutrition to extend the scope of her holistic care, given the intricate connection between oral health, nutrition and its impact on general health, especially for patients with Head and Neck Cancer.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Trudy established a Supported Independent Living facility for people with disability to live in the community.
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