The Paul V. Abbott Oration, inaugurated in 2023, is the foremost annual presentation of the UWA Dental School. Each year, an esteemed speaker is invited to share their insights based on their lifetime of work, innovative discoveries, or inspirational lessons from clinical practice. This is done for the betterment of the dental profession and the broader community. The oration recognises the remarkable contributions of Emeritus Professor Paul Abbott AO to the dental profession, UWA Dental School, and specialty areas of Endodontics and Dental Traumatology throughout his illustrious career. Paul Abbott is a graduate of UWA (BDSc 1980, DDSc 2022) and the University of Adelaide (MDS 1986). He has served as the Dean and Head of the UWA Dental School and as the Director of the Oral Health Centre of WA. Through his teaching, research, and service to the profession and the community, he has positively influenced local, national, and international levels. His commitment to educating dental students, dentists, dental specialists, and the general public has always been centred on providing evidence-based dental care to enhance patients’ oral health. Read more: https://alumni.uwa.edu.au/emeriti-professors/emeritus-professor-paul-abbott-ao
All members of the dental community are encouraged to attend the oration. Depending on the speaker and topic, some presentations may also interest the broader community with a passion for oral health. The Western Australian Dental Foundation and the Australian Society of Endodontology (WA Branch) generously supported the oration. Additionally, donations and support were received from numerous former students of Emeritus Professor Abbott, particularly those who completed their specialist Endodontic degrees or research degrees under his guidance and supervision.