Supporting Smiles From the Start Meet Carol Chambers

With over four decades of experience as a Dental Therapist and more than 15 years specialising in Myofunctional Therapy, Carol Chambers is a passionate advocate for early intervention and holistic oral health care.

Based at National Dental Care Armidale, she’s dedicated her career to helping children and families understand the importance of foundational dental health. We chatted to Carol about how she got started in dentistry, the life-changing benefits of Myofunctional Therapy, and why early intervention can make all the difference to a child’s oral health.

Tell us a bit about how you got into dentistry - what made you choose this as your career path?

My journey into dentistry actually began thanks to a friend of my sister’s, who was a Dental Therapist. I decided to do some work experience in Year 10 to see what it was all about. At the time, I was living in rural South Australia, and there was a push to train students from country areas with the hope they’d return to support their local communities. That opportunity led me to study at a Dental Therapy college in Adelaide, and

I’ve never looked back. I’ve always been passionate about improving people’s health and wellbeing, which is what I do today. I graduated in January 1980 and, since then, I’ve completed additional qualifications like a Graduate Diploma in Health Promotion, as well as training in Buteyko breathing and myofunctional courses. Myofunctional Therapy, in particular, has really deepened my love for the profession.

You’ve been a myofunctional therapist for around 15 years - what does myofunctional therapy involve? What are its benefits?

Myofunctional Therapy, or myofunctional orthodontics, is a non-invasive and relatively simple approach that addresses the underlying causes of many orthodontic issues, before they require more complex treatment. The goal is to guide the proper development of the jaws in terms of size, shape, and position, creating a strong foundation for long-term oral health.

The Myobrace system we use focuses on promoting nasal breathing, correcting tongue posture, and retraining swallowing patterns. Many children need support in learning to swallow correctly, which can have a huge impact on their dental and facial development. We also work on encouraging lips to stay together at rest and correcting oral habits that may be interfering with growth. The process involves a combination of prefabricated oral appliances and targeted exercises.

Over the past 15 years, we’ve had some fantastic results. We’ve seen children overcome their self-consciousness about their protruding teeth, improved mental health and confidence, and better long-term growth and development outcomes.

A particularly rewarding outcome is seeing so many of our patients avoid the need for further orthodontic treatment altogether. It’s a cost-effective solution that offers both functional and cosmetic benefits.

Can you tell us a little about noninvasive early intervention and how it can help people?

Non-invasive early intervention focuses on guiding proper jaw and facial development while a child is still growing. By addressing issues like jaw alignment and oral habits early, we can often straighten teeth naturally and reduce the need for braces later on.

Earlier treatment like this can often result in more successful outcomes, but it does depend on the child’s compliance, as well as their biological ability to change habits. It can minimise the use of retainers and is often used as a Phase 1 treatment before orthodontic work. This can reduce the time and complexity of treatment, as well as the chance of failure due to myofunctional issues.

What are your favourite aspects of being a dental therapist?

My favourite element would have to be the relationships I build and share with children and their parents. I love trying to make the dental process more enjoyable and helping children look forward to their visits. As well as encouraging good oral hygiene, this approach promotes a positive attitude towards the dentist for the future.

I also enjoy getting children’s oral health into the best condition, reducing pain, and promoting health practices

Finally, what do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I really enjoy watching sport, particularly AFL and Rugby Union. Even though I’ve reduced my team sport participation and retired from netball two years ago (at the age of 62), I now go to F45 around five times per week, which is something I’ve done for the last six years. I’m currently training for Hyrox with my husband as my partner.

I’m very close with my two adult children and their partners, whom we visit regularly in Victoria and Queensland. I also love to travel, especially to the beautiful rural areas of northern Australia.