Melissa is a registered specialist in Paediatric Dentistry, having obtained her Doctorate in Clinical Dentistry (Paediatric Dentistry) and Bachelor of Dental Surgery with Honours, from the University of Sydney.

During her training, Melissa received the prestigious Sydney Scholarship from the University of Sydney for the duration of her degree. She was also awarded the W Alan Grainger Memorial Prize and HJV Cusack Memorial Prize for clinical profiency during her Bachelor of Dental Surgery, and the Dentsply Prize for Postgraduate Research­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ during her Clinical Doctorate in Paediatric Dentistry.

Melissa is a Staff Specialist at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead, where she is involved in the multi-disciplinary management of children with complex medical needs. Her interests are in public health, dental trauma, dentistry for children with additional needs, and behaviour management for anxious children.

Melissa is an associate lecturer at both The University of Sydney and The University of New South Wales, where she is involved in the teaching of dental and medical students, and postgraduate doctors in the Sydney Child Health Program.

Melissa has always enjoyed volunteering her time both at home and abroad, with organisations such as the Angkor Hospital for Children in Cambodia, Special Olympics Australia and Lifeline. As a mother of three young children, Melissa understands the importance of being involved in and giving back to her local community.