Arosha Weerakoon

(She/Her)

15

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Dr Arosha Weerakoon is a dentist, practice owner and Senior Lecturer at the School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland (UQ). She holds a PhD (2023) from UQ and is recognised for her work at the intersection of clinical dentistry, public health and emerging health technologies. Dr Weerakoon is an award-winning science communicator and an invited speaker at local, national and international conferences. She is committed to making complex health and scientific information accessible to the public and regularly contributes to public discourse on oral health, healthcare policy and technology.

Dr Weerakoon graduated with a Bachelor of Dental Science (Honours) from UQ in 2003 and commenced her career with Queensland Health before transitioning to private practice, where she now works as the owner-principal of her own dental practice. She completed her Fellowship examinations with the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons in 2007 and later undertook a Master of Public Health, graduating in 2014.

Her research interests span clinical dentistry, dental materials, public and oral health, health services research, and the application of generative artificial intelligence and machine learning in healthcare and education. Her Master’s research examined the experiences of patients, dentists and general medical practitioners associated with the now-defunct Chronic Disease Dental Scheme. Her doctoral research investigated how age and spatial changes affect collagen and mineral quality and composition in teeth, and how such changes influence the longevity of white filling materials.

She is a Colgate-supported Advocate for Oral Health and a key opinion leader for Colgate, Australia and New Zealand, and Kuraray Noritake Dental, Japan.

In recognition of her service to the community and higher education, she holds honourary fellowships with the Pierre Fauchard Academy and the International College of Dentists.

Awards
2025
Citation for outstanding contributions to learning awarded by the University of Queensland's Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences. Citation for “AI-assisted resources enhance dental student engagement, accessibility and critical thinking skills to promote holistic patient care.”

2022
Colgate Palmolive Australia Advocate for Oral Health.
Australian Dental Association QLD and Bank of Queensland Specialist Dental Excellence Bursary.

2019
Winner of Vice Chancellor’s Award for the Pitch It Clever competition hosted by Universities Australia.
Winner of The Lord Mayor’s Convention Trailblazer Grant
Winner of ‘Best Oral Presentation' Award at the Light Microscopy Australia Conference, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

2018
2nd Place Three Minute Thesis Competition, International Association for Dental Research Conference, London, UK.

2002-03
Finalist IADR/Unilever Hatton Pre-Doctoral Research Award 2003
Bede Hintz Endodontic Scholarship 2002 & 2003
Pierre Fouchard Academy Undergraduate Award of Merit for outstanding academic achievement 2002
Colgate Pre-doctoral Research Award 2002

Experience

  • 2007–present
    General Dentist, Private Dental Practice
  • 2023–present
    Senior lecturer, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland
  • 2018–2023
    Lecturer, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland
  • 2017–2017
    Learning Designer, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland
  • 2015–2015
    Lecturer, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland
  • 2014–2014
    Associate lecturer, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland
  • 2003–2007
    Dental Officer, Queensland Health

Education

  • 2023 
    School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland, PhD
  • 2022 
    International College of Dentists, Honourary Fellow
  • 2022 
    Pierre Fouchard Academy , Honourary Fellow
  • 2014 
    School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Master of Public Health
  • 2006 
    Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons, GDP Fellowship
  • 2003 
    School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland, Bachelor of Dental Science (Hons 1)

Publications

  • 2022
    Weerakoon AT, Cooper C, Meyers IA, Condon N, Sexton C, Thomson D, Ford PJ, Symons AL. Does dentine mineral change with anatomical location, microscopic site and patient age? J Struct Biol X. 2022 Jan 23;6:100060. doi: 10.1016/j.yjsbx.2022.100060. PMID: 35146411; PMCID: PMC8818708.,
  • 2022
    Weerakoon AT, Meyers IA, Thomson D, Cooper C, Ford PJ, Symons AL. Coronal dentin differs between young and mature adult humans: A systematic review. Archives of Oral Biology. 2022 Sep 26:105553.,
  • 2022
    Weerakoon AT, Condon N, Cox TR, Sexton C, Cooper C, Meyers IA, Thomson D, Ford PJ, Roy S, Symons AL. Dynamic dentin: A quantitative microscopic assessment of age and spatial changes to matrix architecture, peritubular dentin, and collagens types I and III. Journal of Structural Biology. 2022 Dec 1;214(4):107899.,
  • 2022
    Weerakoon AT, Cooper C, Sokolowski KA, Meyers IA, Thomson D, Ford PJ, Sexton C, Symons AL. Effect of dentine site on resin and cement adaptation tested using X‐ray and electron microscopy to evaluate bond durability and adhesive interfaces. European Journal of Oral Sciences. 2022 Aug 12:e12890.,
  • 2018
    Pateman KA, Weerakoon AT, Batstone MD, Ford PJ. A culture shock in dental hygiene: Exploring the management of oral health after head and neck cancer.Int J Dent Hygiene. 2018;00:1–9. https://doi.org/10.1111/idh.12376,
  • 2017
    Akers HF, Weerakoon AT, Foley MA, McAuliffe AJ. The Medicare Chronic Disease Dental Scheme: Historical, Scientific, Socio-political Origins. Journal of the history of dentistry. 2017;65(2):46-62,
  • 2014
    Weerakoon A, Fitzgerald L, and Porter S, (2014) An Australian government dental scheme: Doctor-dentist-patient tensions in the triangle. Journal of Forensic Odontostomatology, 32 Sup No. 1: 9-14.,
  • 2007
    Tsai PCL, Weerakoon AT, Meyers IA, Symons AL,Walsh LJ. Optomization of current resin photopolymerization systems. Aust Dent J, 2007; 52:S35.,
  • 2003
    Symons AL, Weerakoon A, Marks SC Jn. Growth hormone receptor and insulin-like growth factor-I immunoreactivity in osteoclast-like cells during tooth eruption in the toothless (osteopetrotic) rat following treatment with colony-stimulating factor-1. Crit Rev Eukar Gene, 2003; 13:195-204.,

Professional Memberships

  • International Association of Dental Research
  • Australian Dental Association
  • Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons
  • Australian Society of Endodontology
  • International Dental Ethics and Law Society
  • Academy of Dental Materials
  • Australian Science Communicators
  • Australian Microscopy & Microanalysis Society

Honours

Pierre Fouchard Academy, International College of Dentists

Contact Arosha for

  • General
  • Media request
  • Speaking request
  • Consulting / Advising
  • Research collaboration
  • Research supervision