Emeritus Prof Paul V Abbott AO Oration Lecture 2026

Professor Mithran Goonewardene BDSc (Hons) (UWA) MMedSc (Harvard) CertOrtho. (Harvard/Forsyth) FICD, FADI, FPFA

Mithran Goonewardene is Professor, Discipline Lead and program Convenor in orthodontics. He completed Dental School at The University of Western Australia in 1981 and attended the Forsyth Dental Center/Harvard School of Dental Medicine in Boston, USA from 1984-1987 where he completed his Certificate in Orthodontics and Master of Medical Science degree. He took up a teaching position in orthodontics at The University of Western Australia in 1987 and has completed 40 years of teaching orthodontics. He has been Head of Orthodontics and Graduate Program Director at The University of Western Australia since 1989 and through collaboration locally and internationally, built up the reputation of the discipline to be highly regarded on the international stage. Dr Goonewardene is a full member of The Edward Angle Society of Orthodontists and is Certified by the Australian Orthodontic Board. He visits Sri Lanka regularly as a visiting Consultant in Orthodontics in the Dental Institute, Colombo and participates in part-time private practice in Perth.

Lecture title: The curiosity of the interplay between Endodontics and Orthodontics

No matter what we think, the orthodontist has to be sensitive to the issue that numerous orthodontic strategies put the dental pulp at risk of compromise. Moreover, orthodontists may often be called in to assist in post dental trauma rehabilitation.

Dr Goonewardene will discuss the implications of orthodontic tooth movement on healthy and compromised teeth and outline numerous biomechanical strategies to minimize significant ongoing challenges to the vitality and maintenance of the dentition.