Sydney’s oldest running public dental facility celebrates a significant milestone. 

Sydney Dental Hospital acknowledged 120 years of service by showcasing talents, recognising achievements, and sharing learning experiences.

The weeklong celebration saw staff, patients, friends and partners of the hospital come together for the significant milestone in a range of events. 

Starting off with a special opening ceremony and “birthday cake”, NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant AO was invited to say a few words to open the week-long celebrations. 

“This anniversary is an excellent opportunity to recognise the long and proud history of Sydney Dental Hospital and the contribution of its staff over many years to Sydney Local Health District and the NSW Health system,” she said.

“Sydney Dental Hospital continues to play a key role in the development and provision of specialist dental service as a major tertiary referral centre providing specialist dental services to eligible patients from across NSW.”

In recent years the hospital has developed partnerships to provide integrated and holistic care. This includes Domestic Violence Routine Screening and legal support for vulnerable patients delivered in partnership with Redfern Legal Centre and the Aboriginal oral health scholarship program delivered with the University of Sydney.

Hospital staff also played a significant role during the COVID-19 pandemic administering testing and delivering the vaccine, a significant pivot from dentistry.

“I am proud of this hospital and the steps we have taken to grow our service offering and integrate with other health care programs. These achievements are just the tip of the iceberg for us,” said Dr Jason Cheng, hospital General Manager.

The Research Showcase on Tuesday was an opportunity for staff from across hospital disciplines to share their latest work and innovations, and featured leaders in dentistry and oral health care, hosted by Dr Shilpi Ajwani, Head of Oral Health Research.

Staff talents were then celebrated through song and dance performances, and awards also handed out to staff with longstanding tenure for their dedication to the hospital and Sydney Local Health District. 

To round up the week, staff were able to access skills workshops and a staff professional education day, featuring talks from the District’s specialist surgeons and researchers, and a presentation from Diabetes Australia.

At the week’s final celebration dinner, Dr Jason Cheng said he could not be prouder of the efforts of his team, thanking the organisers and volunteers for their planning and management.