Leading the way | Werner Bischof AM

Associate Professor Werner Bischof AM is driven by a passion for improving oral health and a desire to create meaningful change.

As the Chief Oral Health Advisor for Oral Health Victoria, Werner steers the clinical direction of public oral health. A fierce advocate for delivering high-quality and high-value care, Werner offers insights at the board and executive levels and oversees clinical governance and leadership for public oral health in Victoria. He also represents dentistry in broader health discussions, across the state and nationally.

“Patient care has always been a passion, connecting with patients and supporting them achieve their goals is hugely rewarding,” said Werner.

Giving back

Building a career that seamlessly blends clinical practice with leadership, Werner was recognised in 2019 for championing oral health and influencing those entering the profession through education. Named as a Member of the Order of Australia for significant services to dentistry and professional dental organisations, Werner said being in a position to educate others in the field has been a career highlight.

“Being nominated and then awarded the Order of Australia is a hugely humbling experience that has allowed me to reflect on the importance of the work that we do in public oral health. It has afforded me the opportunity to connect with others – not only in health, but in other areas of service to the community.”

Werner has always embraced the myriad opportunities for growth available within the field of oral health – and he is committed to guiding the next generation.

“Dentistry as a profession, has provided me with opportunities to extend my areas of interest and impact. Continuous education helped build my experience and skills in clinical practice along a path to post-graduate studies. It was during my specialist training, and contributing to student supervision and teaching, that the door opened into a role in academia to educate and inspire those people coming into the profession. It is hugely rewarding to be able to contribute to building the profession of the future.

“I have also been involved in other parts of the profession, professional organisations, accreditation and regulation. My inspiration to take leadership roles in oral health has been twofold: contributing to how we build impact and reach in the work that we do and giving back to the profession and the community.”

Connecting with our community

Focussing on Oral Health Victoria’s top priorities, Werner emphasises the importance of leveraging our partnerships to enhance impact and reach in delivering patient care.

“The community relies on Oral Health Victoria to provide the clinical care through our partnership with community dental agencies and the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne (RDHM). Our dedicated workforce, both clinical and support staff, provide care for some of the most vulnerable members of the Victorian community. However, we also have an opportunity to extend our reach and impact through connecting individuals with services that support their oral health and a focus on prevention and early intervention.

“There’s an incredible need for us to deliver effective care, to improve a person’s quality of life, while reducing future health concerns. It’s important to think more broadly about what oral health care means. There are many ways we can have a meaningful impact on an individual health and wellbeing, but through our partnerships with agencies, we can extend this impact on the broader population.”

Empowering Victorians for a healthier community

Our Strategic Direction sets the course for the clinical priorities that align with a future of a Victoria that is disease and cavity-free. Our three pillars – Empower, Care, and Lead – support this vision.

“The empower pillar recognises that many of the factors influencing the oral health are within the hands of individuals and families. We want to support Victorians wholistically, equipping them with knowledge, understanding and guidance, improving behaviour and practice, and connecting them with necessary services to improve their health. Our second pillar, Care is how we contribute to restoring and maintaining oral health with a focus on effective and appropriate care that achieves the goals and outcomes that matter most to our patients.

“The last pillar is lead. Our skilled, purpose-driven, dedicated staff are aware of the issues faced by the people we’re providing care for – however, we have some challenges when we consider the reach and impact of our services. We have an opportunity to advocate for what's needed in changes to policy, funding, education, and the way the broader health system works and interconnects for public oral health to truly deliver on that vision of Victoria that is disease and cavity free.”

Looking ahead, Werner envisions even greater technological integration within oral healthcare as we continue to transform the future of care. Innovation and advances in digital care and connectivity will open new avenues for community engagement, ensuring continued high-quality and high-value care. Empowering and connecting with our communities is key to a healthier future.

“Empowerment will see us being able to truly connect with individuals, families and communities and provide the information they need, while also highlighting the interconnection with other areas of health and community services to increase our impact. A lot of oral disease is preventable and is influenced by behaviour and circumstance. Engaging and informing individuals and families to support behaviour change will see us extend our reach and improve outcomes across Victoria.”

Challenges and opportunities

Facing challenges head-on, Werner acknowledges the impact of economic and environmental factors on providing services and working with communities.

“As with all public healthcare organisations, we work in an environment of resource and workforce challenges. Major issues felt by all Victorians include the impact of cost of living, sustainability and climate change. We are mindful that, not only are these issues impacting the communities where we provide care but also effect members of our oral health workforce. Workforce wellbeing is vital. Supporting our staff and their teams is key to providing a safe and sustainable service.”

Leading the Quality, Safety, and Value-based Healthcare (VBHC) teams, Werner stresses strong consumer connections to develop impactful oral health programs.

“Quality, Safety and VBHC have a clear alignment. We work closely with our partners in Community Health, and now as a member of the Parkville Local Health Service Network, to better support the delivery of services and clinical care through a clinical governance structure. We’re also working on how to better focus on outcomes to inform how we develop and deliver services, programs and projects to better monitor what matters most to individuals and communities.

“Having a strong connection with consumers is essential to delivering these types of services – both in the agencies and the hospital. Partnering with consumers is a crucial part of developing impactful and sustainable programs in oral health.”

Reflecting on his journey, Werner shares valuable career advice he received upon graduation.

“One of my mentors congratulated me at my post-graduate ceremony and told me that ‘it’s not just about what you’ve achieved, but what you do with it’. It’s something that always stayed with me and inspired me to remain open to opportunities.”

Werner has remained true to this advice by fostering his passions and connecting with colleagues, recognising the value of a collective effort to effect change.

We’re proud to have Werner leading the charge for a healthier oral future!