Skip to content

A missed diagnosis of head and neck cancer can have devastating consequences for a patient and their family, and the burden of guilt a practitioner carries for this failure to diagnose can be overwhelming. In this joint presentation, Dr Amanda Phoon Nguyen, Oral Medicine Specialist, will guide practitioners through how to undertake an appropriate assessment for head and next cancer, and how to recognise when referral is required. Dr Annalene Weston, Senior Dentolegal Consultant at Dental Protection, will provide an accompanying presentation, supported by deidentified cases from the Dental Protection, will provide an accompanying presentation, supported by deidentified cases from the Dental Protection vault on some of the key dentolegal risks and issues surrounding this critical diagnosis, and how we best protect our patients, and ourselves.

Learning outcomes

Learning Points: - Revisit how to undertake a comprehensive head and neck assessment to minimise the risk of a missed diagnosis - Consider the consequences to patient and practitioner alike of failing to do so

Speakers

Dr Annalene Weston Senior Dentolegal Consultant at Dental Protection Australia

Dr Annalene Weston is Senior Dentolegal Consultant at Dental Protection Australia, supporting members with professional advice. UK-trained, she has worked across Australia in both public and private dentistry. She holds a Master’s in Health Law and continues to practise part time. Annalene is a Fellow of several international dental colleges, recognised for her work in ethics and peer support. She is the first point of contact for members, providing colleague to colleague support and advice. Dr Weston completed her undergraduate dental degree and vocational training in the UK, and worked in the NHS and private dentistry for four years before immigrating to Australia in 2003. She has worked across three Australian states, in both private and public dentistry, and gained her Masters in Health Law through the University of Sydney, Faculty of Law in 2009. Dr Weston was awarded a Fellowship to the American College of Dentistry in 2016 and a Fellowship to the Pierre Fauchard Academy in 2019 in recognition of her strong work in ethics and collegiate support. In 2020 Dr Weston became a Fellow of the International College of Dentists. Dr Weston continues to practice on a part time basis.

Dr Annalene Weston 

Dr Amanda Phoon Nguyen BDSc (UniMelb), MRACDS (GDP), DClinDent (Oral Med) (UWA), MRACDS (OralMed), Cert ADL, FOMAA, FPFA, FICD, FADI, MAICD, GCHL, MICDA, FDSM

Dr Amanda is an Oral Medicine Specialist in public and private practice, with appointments at Perth Children’s Hospital, UWA, and Curtin University. A former Navy Dental Officer, she has held leadership roles in several professional and not-for-profit organisations. She has been recognised with multiple awards for her contributions to dentistry. Before undertaking Oral Medicine specialist training, Amanda graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Dental Science, served in the Royal Australian Navy as a Dental officer and worked in both public and private practice as a dentist in Western Australia. Now as an Oral Medicine Specialist, she works in private and public practice. Her public appointments include Consultant at the Perth Children’s Hospital, Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the University of Western Australia and Senior Lecturer at Curtin University. Amanda has multiple roles with the Oral Medicine Academy of Australasia, the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons and the Australasian Sleep Association Dental Sleep Medicine Council, amongst others. She is on the Board of Directors for several not-for-profit charities. For her services to dentistry, she has been awarded several honorary fellowships and awards, including the Australian Dental Association Valuable Service Award and the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons College Service Award.

Dr Amanda Phoon Nguyen 

I don’t want to miss a thing – A Focus on head and neck cancer


Speakers:

Dr Annalene Weston Senior Dentolegal Consultant at Dental Protection Australia

Dr Amanda Phoon Nguyen BDSc (UniMelb), MRACDS (GDP), DClinDent (Oral Med) (UWA), MRACDS (OralMed), Cert ADL, FOMAA, FPFA, FICD, FADI, MAICD, GCHL, MICDA, FDSM

Sunday 23rd Nov 2025
4:00pm - 5:30pm
Venue: Webinar
Online
Online
Region: Overseas
Brought to you by Dental Protection