A huge congratulations to our member, Dr Andrew Michael Brostek, who was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division for service to dentistry.
A private practice Dentist since the early 80s, Dr Brostek has had a long history in educating future generations of dentists, being an Adjunct Clinical Senior Lecturer at OHCWA (the Oral Health Centre of Western Australia) for over 20 years. It certainly was serendipity when Prof Michael McGuinness AM (Establishing Head of OHCWA) asked him to give a single lecture in Restorative Dentistry.
“At the time I was also very fortunate to be in contact with Prof Laurie Walsh (QLD), who eventually became my mentor,” he recalls. “He and others including Prof. Ian Meyers (QLD) were researching how to restore carious teeth more conservatively (than G.V. Black design) with adhesive restorations. The focus then shifted to new ways to arrest dental disease and enhance teeth remineralisation (Prof Eric Reynolds (VIC). “We now call this minimal intervention dentistry, and I was in the right place at the right time. My co-colleague Dr Andrew Bochenek and myself under the direction of Dr Erica Yates tried to advance this modernised curriculum.”
“Teaching has always been fun, but the ability to influence young students to be innovative and analytical in their dentistry has been the goal, to the benefit of patient health outcomes.”
In addition to his long teaching history at OHCWA and to peers via CPD programs and presentations, Dr Brostek has co-authored publications and has given back to the profession as the past-President of the Australian Association of Laser Dentistry (from 2011-2019), as well as assisting charitable local Tzu Chi organisation with their clinical days.
On receiving the OAM, Dr Brostek said. “(Receiving the award) was overwhelming,” he says. “It is lovely to have recognition, but you realise it is not just about you, but the people who have helped you and guided you over the years. I think it is an honour for all of us as dentists to be able to care for patients and give back to help people as well.”
Congratulations again, Dr Brostek!
