From Structure to Selection: A Practical Guide to Dentine and Adhesive Dentistry
Dentine isn't just a substrate, it's a moving target. Learn how age, depth and site shape your bonding and material decisions.
01 About this session
Session details
Dentine is one of the most dynamic substrates in clinical dentistry, yet it's often treated as an afterthought. This webinar cuts through the complexity to give you a working understanding of how dentine changes across age, depth and site, and why those changes matter every time you reach for an adhesive.You'll explore the fundamental mechanisms behind bonding and adhesive dentistry, building the scientific foundation you need to make more confident, evidence-informed material choices. This session will help you match your materials to your clinical reality, not the other way around.
Walk away with a clearer understanding of dentine biology, sharper clinical reasoning, and a practical framework for smarter material selection.
Learning outcomes
- Understand how dentine changes with age, depth and site.
- Be able to explain and apply the clinical relevance of changes to dentine.
- Understand the basic mechanisms of bonding and adhesive dentistry.
- Be able to customise material selection to suit clinical presentations.
02 About the presenter
Dr Arosha Weerakoon
Dentist, Researcher and Senior University Lecturer
BDSc (Hons I), PhD, MPH, FRACDS, FPFA, FICD
Dr Arosha Weerakoon is a dentist, researcher and senior university lecturer with a passion for understanding how our teeth change as we age. Her PhD explored the effects of site-specific and physiological ageing on microscopic dentine changes and restorative material adaptation. This research provided fresh insights into adhesive interfaces, with practical implications for improving long-term restorative outcomes for patients across the lifespan.
Throughout her career, Arosha has received numerous awards, including the Universities Australia Vice-Chancellor’s Award (2019), Brisbane Lord Mayor’s Trailblazer Grant (2019), the ADAQ and BOQ Specialist Dental Excellence Bursary (2022), and the UQ Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences Faculty Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning (2025).
Alongside her research, Arosha has worked in private practice for more than 20 years and is the owner and principal dentist of Tewantin Family Dental on the Sunshine Coast. Her background in clinical care has given her a unique perspective on translating research into real-world patient benefits. Her dual roles allow her to bridge research and clinical practice, ensuring that scientific discoveries remain relevant, practical and patient-centred.
Arosha is a Key Opinion Leader for Colgate, Kuraray Noritake Dental and GC Corporation. Through these roles, she contributes to professional education and evidence-based clinical practice in the areas of preventive dentistry, education and professional practice (Colgate), restorative and adhesive dentistry (Kuraray Noritake Dental), and glass ionomer systems and minimal intervention dentistry (GC). She combines her interests in education, restorative and preventive dentistry to support lifelong learning, clinical excellence and improved patient outcomes.