Queen’s Birthday
Honours We were thrilled that three members of the WA dental community were recognised for their hard work, being named on the Queen’s Birthday 2021 Honours List.
Ramesh Balasubramaniam Associate Professor Ramesh Balasubramaniam was honoured with a Medal (OAM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia for service to dentistry. “I was quite surprised and very humbled,” Ramesh says of receiving the award. “It was not expected, and I am very grateful.” When asked about contributions to the profession that he is most proud, the Principal of Perth Oral Medicine and Dental Sleep Centre and Associate Professor at the UWA Dental School says a standout for him was in 2009 when he, along with Dr David Booth and
Ramesh feels the other big contribution to the field he has made has been his involvement in teaching and training. “I think the face of oral medicine has changed,” he explains. “I believe that our dental and medical colleagues understand the field of oral medicine and know what we do and that has been a good achievement globally for all of us as oral medicine specialists”.
Through this meeting we were able to speak to Ms Roxon on the need for oral medicine to be recognised as a speciality in Western Australia. Associate Professor Agnieszka Frydrych, met with then Federal Health Minister, Nicola Roxon. “Through this meeting we were able to speak to Ms Roxon on the need for oral medicine to be recognised as a speciality in Western Australia,” he recalls. “Thankfully, at the time, Dr John Owen AM was the President of the Dental Board of Western Australia. When it came to his table, he was supportive as well. That is how oral medicine became recognised as a speciality in Western Australia. That was one of the most exciting moments.”
14
EDITION 5 | 2021 Western Articulator
“I am also proud of co-authoring and co-editing Contemporary Oral Medicine, which is the number-oneselling textbook in oral medicine in the world now.” Ramesh adds he is grateful for the support he has received. “I don’t think these sorts of things could be achieved without the support of my colleagues,” he says. “I have been well supported by ADAWA, I have been well supported by past and present Heads of School at UWA Dental School, and of course, my family, who are very proud but have sacrificed much of our time for my work.”
