معرفی
Dr. Denise Higgins is a Lecturer and Program Convenor for the Bachelor of Oral Health Therapy Program at The University of Newcastle. With a PhD in Oral Health Simulation and multiple graduate certifications in tertiary teaching and clinical simulation, she specializes in simulation-based education and virtual reality applications in dental training.
- Education: PhD in Oral Health Simulation, University of Newcastle
- Diploma in Applied Science (Dental Therapy), Victorian School of Dental Therapy
- Bachelor of Oral Health, University of Newcastle
Her research focuses on simulation technology and virtual reality for dental education, including the development of synthetic tissue simulators and VR programs for local anaesthetic training. She has written extensively on simulation frameworks and best practices.
Recent publications highlight her work on autistic patient care, business intelligence applications, and weight stigma in dentistry. These articles demonstrate her commitment to addressing both technological and social aspects of oral healthcare.
- Scientific Awards:
- 2024 Australian Awards for University Teaching Citation for Outstanding Contributions
- 2021 College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing Teaching Award
- 2019 iTnews Benchmark Award for Emerging Technology
- Multiple Vice-Chancellor's and Faculty Awards
As a supervisor, she has guided doctoral and postgraduate research on orthodontic curriculum redesign, periodontal-diabetic interventions, and public oral health data dashboards. Her grants include over $500,000 in philanthropic funding for aged care oral health programs.
