Oral Parasites Workshop

Dr Simone Sleep PhD – is a biomedical scientist specialising in dental research and Fellow Academic Teacher in Biomedicine at Bond University. Simone is the QLD Representative for One Health Oral Health (PHAA). Her work focuses on oral infectious disease and its systemic impact, and she is currently leading research addressing gaps in infectious disease recognition and management in dentistry.

Dr Lotti Tajouri is a French Australian doctor who holds a PhD from Griffith University (2005) and currently an Adjunct A/Prof at Murdoch University and A/Professor in Molecular Biology at Bond University Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine. Dr Lotti Tajouri is an exclusive member of the Dubai Police Scientist Council (DPSC) since 2017 and has ongoing leading-edge international research project collaborations specialising in Infectious diseases, Global biosecurity, Public health, Forensic microbiology, Bio-threats and Infection control & prevention.

Dr Tajouri will present “Infection Control & Mobile Phone Contamination in Dentistry.” Explores mobile phones as high-risk fomites in clinical dentistry, acting as reservoirs for bacteria, fungi, viruses, and antimicrobial-resistant organisms. Highlights how contaminated devices undermine hand hygiene and contribute to pathogen transmission within dental and community settings. Introduces practical mitigation strategies including UV-C disinfection technologies.

Dr Bonner has published in peer-reviewed journals and developed microscopy-based clinical approaches to assess and manage periodontal biofilms. He is an experienced lecturer and trainer, having educated over 1,000 practitioners worldwide in infection-aware periodontal care and biofilm analysis.
His work bridges clinical dentistry and parasitology, with a strong focus on translating emerging evidence into practical, non-surgical approaches to periodontal health.

Deborah Harrison is a highly experienced dental hygienist and therapist with over three decades in periodontal care. Known for her willingness to challenge conventional thinking, she explores the evolving science behind gum disease, including complex microbial and parasitic interactions and emerging therapies. Her current work focuses on bridging clinical practice with new research in light therapy, tissue healing, and integrative oral health. Deborah is also writing another book that brings together these perspectives, offering a fresh and thought-provoking view of periodontal disease.

Deborah will run Live Microscopy: Oral Swab Diagnostics & Biofilm Profiling. Conduct real-time oral swab sampling with phase-contrast microscopy to visualise motile bacteria and potential protozoa. Provide attendees with a “report card” of microbial findings, illustrating biofilm diversity and clinical relevance in periodontal disease assessment. Showcase educational books for improving oral health.

Dr McDonald is the owner and principal dentist of Vitality Functional Dental and brings a distinctly integrative lens to oral health one that positions the mouth not as an isolated structure, but as a dynamic interface between the airway, the microbiome, and whole-body metabolic function.
With over a decade of clinical experience spanning public health, the Australian Defence Force, and private practice, Dr McDonald’s approach is grounded in root cause analysis, early detection, and the use of biocompatible materials within a framework of integrated, precision medicine. He is a strong advocate for behaviour change as the primary vehicle for lasting health outcomes, favouring conservative and personalised intervention over operative or pharmaceutical dependence.
As an accredited lifestyle medicine practitioner and orofacial myologist, Dr McDonald has a particular interest in the intersection of oral health and systemic wellbeing. His clinical work centres on three interconnected domains: the oral microbiome utilising advanced screening technologies to identify dysbiosis and intervene early; the airway with a focus on the conservative assessment and management of orofacial pain/dysfunction, and sleep-related breathing disorders across the lifespan; and metabolic health exploring how oral function, breathing patterns, and microbial ecology interact with broader physiological resilience and disease susceptibility.
Dr McDonald has served on several professional committees and associations and remains committed to advancing a model of care that is early, evidence-informed, and deeply connected to the biology of the whole person.

This session will be Live Microscopy: Oral Swab Diagnostics & Biofilm Profiling.

Susan Rusalen is a highly experienced dental hygienist, educator, and practice consultant with over 30 years in the dental industry. She has worked hands-on as a clinician, practice manager, and trainer, and now focuses on helping dental teams build prevention-driven, profitable practices. Susan is the founder of initiatives such as My Freedom Dental and Talking Dental, where she teaches a hygiene-led, microscope-first approach to care. She is passionate about the role of the oral microbiome in overall health and is dedicated to shifting dentistry toward early detection, patient education, and long-term prevention. 

Associate Professor Richard Bradbury is a medical parasitologist and researcher specialising in human parasitic infections, with a focus on diagnostic parasitology, emerging pathogens, and host–parasite interactions. His work spans clinical and public health domains, with particular expertise in protozoan infections and their broader implications for infectious disease.
He has a growing interest in oral protozoa, including Entamoeba gingivalis, and their role within polymicrobial environments. His research explores the potential for extra-oral colonisation, co-infection dynamics, and transmission pathways, contributing to a broader One Health understanding of infectious disease.

Tylen Burt is an Oral Health Therapist with over 10 years of clinical experience, graduating from CQUniversity in 2015 and currently practising in the private sector. With a family background in the dental profession, Tylen developed an early passion for oral health that has grown into a career focused on patient-centred care, education, and clinical innovation.

With a strong interest in periodontal therapy, Tylen is particularly focused on improving patient health literacy and fostering autonomy in care. His work explores the integration of clinical microscopy into everyday practice, with an ever-expanding interest in oral parasitology and the role of microorganisms in periodontal disease. By enabling patients to directly visualise biofilm composition, motile bacteria, and potential parasitic activity in real time, Tylen uses microscopy as a powerful educational tool to make otherwise abstract disease processes tangible.

Through this approach, patients gain a clearer understanding of the microbial drivers of periodontal disease, which supports more meaningful clinical conversations, increases treatment acceptance, and encourages sustained behaviour change. Tylen advocates for incorporating microscopic analysis not only as a diagnostic adjunct, but as a communication bridge between clinician and patient—enhancing transparency, trust, and shared decision-making in periodontal care.

Tylen has been actively involved in the profession through his longstanding membership with Australian Dental and Oral Health Therapists Association and now continues his contribution through his involvement with the Oral Health Association of Australia Board.

At the Australian Society for Parasitology Annual Conference, Tylen will present on the use of microscopes in clinical practice to improve patient health literacy and autonomy in the management of periodontal disease.